Jharkhand assembly rushes through 4 bills, including Tribal University Bill

The Jharkhand assembly today rushed through four bills, including the one meant to set up Pt Raghunath Murmu Tribal University in absence of the BJP members, who had walked out to protest suspension of four of their colleagues.

Minister in charge of higher and technical education department Mithlesh Thakur had introduced the Pandit Raghunath Murmu Tribal University Bill 2022, which was cleared by the House.

Earlier, AJSU legislator Lambodar Mahto said it necessary to amend the bill and suggested referring it to the select committee with the direction that it should give its report within 30 days.

The minister-in-charge, however, said, the bill has been introduced after thorough review and taking consent from the personnel and law departments. He said the bill has been brought in the interest of the poor, downtrodden, tribal class of the state.

The second bill which was passed was Jharkhand State Universities (Amendment) Bill 2022. Minister Thakur had introduced the bill.

MLA Vinod Kumar Singh and Dr. Lambodar Mahto introduced amendments on the proposed bill saying that it should also be sent to the select committee with the direction that it should give its report within 30 days.

Vinod Singh said that there is no such university in Jharkhand, which comes in the rank of one to hundred. The quality of the university in the state is already poor. Therefore it is necessary to send it to the Select Committee to ensure that state universities can come in rank with better quality, he added.

Mahto said, it is necessary that all the 100% norms of UGC 2018 guidelines are followed in this bill to ensure that when it goes before the governor, he does not need to return it.

On which the minister in charge said that all the norms of UGC have been followed in this bill. He said that the bill has been introduced to pave the path for the appointment of 3064 professors and lecturers in the state.

Other two bills passed included Resolution of Arrears of Jharkhand Taxation Acts Bill 2022 and Jharkhand Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill 2022.

Minister in charge of the commercial tax department Rameshwar Oraon had introduced the bill.

MLA Amit Kumar Mandal suggested an amendment saying after clause 8(5) of the bill, in clause 8(6) it should be added that any kind of solution for the purpose of this act will be taken under the right to service. It was not accepted.

The minister in-charge said that the matter of taxation arrears of Rs 3690 crores of the state is pending with the Supreme Court, High Court, and Tribunal Court.