Clear Rs 1.36 lakh cr coal dues: Hemant urges PM, Shah

Ahead of the scheduled visits of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to poll-bound Jharkhand, Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Saturday requested the Centre with folded hands to clear Rs 1.36 lakh-crore coal dues to the state.

Modi is scheduled to address two rallies in Jharkhand on November 4 while Shah will address three public meetings on Sunday.

“The PM and the home minister are coming to Jharkhand. I once again request them with folded hands to clear the outstanding (coal dues) of Rs 1.36 lakh crore to Jharkhandis. This amount is crucial for Jharkhand,” Soren posted on X.

He also appealed to the BJP MPs to facilitate clearance of the amount.

“I would also appeal to my BJP colleagues, especially the MPs, to help Jharkhandis in getting our dues,” Soren posted on the microblogging site, sharing a copy of a letter to the prime minister.

Soren emphasised that the dues with central PSUs, like Coal India, are “rightful” to the state and claimed that “non-clearance is causing irreparable harm to Jharkhand’s development”.