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JHARKHAND
One
of the oldest demands for a separate state was fulfilled when the
Parliament passed the Bihar Reorganization Bill on August, 2, 2000
to create the state of jharkhand. The genesis of the demand can be
traced to early 1900s when Jaipal Singh, the Oxford educated
hockey Captain of the 1928 Olympics mooted the idea of a separate
state consisting of the Southern districts of Bihar. After that
there had been no looking back, jharkhand Movement had begun.
The state comprises of twenty-two districts of the erstwhile Bihar
(eighteen at the time of bifurcation). With an area of 74,677 Sq
km, the new state will be bordered by Bihar, Chattisgarh, Orissa,
and West Bengal to its north, west, south and east respectively.
35% of the population of former Bihar is in the jharkhand region.
T
h e B l e s s e d L a n d
With its huge reserves of forests and natural resources, things
can only look up in this predominantly poverty ridden region. With
a total revenue of Rs 3,775 crores, jharkhand may be able to
alleviate its poverty. Its revenues can now be utilized for its
own development and no longer be diverted to the state's coffers
of Bihar as has been the case. Naturally the biggest loser is
Bihar. Bihar will suddenly find its lifeline of revenues shrunk
without those contributed by jharkhand region.
Just consider this fact, about 63% of Bihar’s total revenue
comes from this region. With the creation of jharkhand, the
truncated Bihar will suffer a revenue loss Rs 1,500 crores
annually, as the major contributor to the State's Exchequer, mines
and minerals, and a large chunk of the commercial taxes will go to
the newly formed State.
With
everything in its favor, jharkhand can only look forward to a
bright future. It is poised to become the Industrial powerhouse of
the country, that is, if its leaders set the wheel of development
rolling.
This is worth
noting that division of resources and government departments
between the states of Bihar and Jharkhand has not been completed
and many departments and organisations are still functioning as
the unit of Bihar government. The division would take place
shortly and till then most of them would be referred to be as the
units of Bihar government.
Twenty Two Districts of JHARKHAND : Ranchi
, Hazirabag , Bokaro , Dhanbad , Giridih , Koderma , Chatra ,
Dumka , Deoghar , Pakur , Godda , Sahebganj , Jamtara , Gumla ,
Lohardaga , Latehar , Palamau , East Singbhum , West Singhbhum ,
Simdega , Seraikela - Kharsawan , Garhwa
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