The JMM-led ruling UPA alliance and the BJP Opposition indulged in a war of words following the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) report of the Niti Aayog declaring Jharkhand as the second poorest state of India.
In the first-ever MPI report, Niti Ayog has said that Bihar, Jharkhand, and Uttar Pradesh were found poorest states of India. Bihar has the highest shares of poor 51.91 percent followed by Jharkhand (42.16) and Uttar Pradesh 37.79 percent.
The BJP accused the Hemant Soren-led government stating that poor results reflected the failure of the state government. The BJP said that the Hemant Soren-led JMM-Congress-RJD government could not implement the central schemes properly.
“Jharkhand is in a state of directionless drift right after Hemant Soren assumed the office. The BJP government had accelerated the infrastructural and socio-economic growth of Jharkhand. But this government is busy with transfers and postings which has emerged as an industry. Central’s schemes were not implemented and there is no financial discipline. This was bound to happen,” said Jharkhand BJP spokesperson Pradeep Sinha.
Former MLA and BJP spokesperson too said that the JMM-led government failed to implement the Centre's policies on food security and pension. He claimed that budgetary allocations were barely spent. “When the nation was facing Covid 19 pandemic the state government was busy flourishing transfer and posting industry. Over 200 officials were transferred during the pandemic," said Sarangi. But the JMM hit the BJP having ruled Jharkhand for the maximum period should be held accountable for the plight of Jharkhand. JMM general secretary and spokesperson Supriyo Bhattacharya said that the BJP did not do anything significant to alleviate the poor from the poverty line. "The present Government is credited for taking steps to address issues like hunger and poverty. Hemant Soren Government successfully tackled the Covid-19. It ensured the life and livelihood of the poor section of society. The State Government had started programmes like 'Aapke Adhikar, Aapki Sarkar, Aapke Dwar'," Bhattacharya said.
