Jharkhand's Legal Battle for Coal Dues: A State's Fight for Financial Justice

The Jharkhand government has initiated legal proceedings to recover Rs 1.36 lakh crore in coal dues from the Central government. The Revenue Secretary has been authorized to lead the process, following a Supreme Court ruling affirming Jharkhand's right to collect mining and royalty dues.

The Jharkhand government has officially begun legal action to claim Rs 1.36 lakh crore in coal dues from the Central government, a crucial move announced by the state in a recent cabinet meeting.

A notification was released authorizing the Secretary of Revenue, Registration and Land Reforms to spearhead this legal initiative, aimed at addressing obstacles in payments by subsidiaries of Coal India for washed coal royalties.

Chief Minister Hemant Soren, after his swearing-in, stressed the importance of recovering these dues for the state's development, urging cooperation from central ministries and BJP MPs to resolve the issue, which has been acknowledged by a Supreme Court ruling.

(With inputs from agencies.)