Irony of Jharkhand: It's rich in resources but still poorest state, CM Raghubar Das says

Half way into his five-year term, Jharkhand CM

Raghubar Das

is heading the

state’s first stable government

in the 14 years since its creation. Das is ambitious about the state and says he plans to make it one of the most developed in the country. He speaks to TOI’s

Sonali Das

in an exclusive interview. Excerpts:

What have been your achievements since you took over as CM?

We've restored people's confidence in governance which had eroded over the preceding decade. Apart from emerging as a transparent and corruption-free government, we've also won the confidence of investors by developing infrastructure and a sound industrial policy. This, in turn, has created jobs. We've laid a network of roads and plan to bring electricity to every household by March 2018. We'll provide solar power in villages lacking power grids by December 2017 and piped drinking water to every household by 2022.

How did investors respond to your road shows in Kolkata and Mumbai?

During Momentum Jharkhand in February, the state signed MoUs worth Rs 3L crore in various sectors like steel, power, IT, agriculture, food processing and tourism. Out of these, work has begun on projects worth Rs 700 crore. In July, we expect an investment of Rs 16,000 crore from Vedanta for setting up a steel plant in Manoharpur (West Singbhum). The state ranks fifth in the country in terms of receiving foreign direct investments (FDI), especially in mining. In education and health, private universities and hospitals, including a cancer hospital by Tata Trusts and an AIIMS in Deoghar, are on the anvil.

How do you propose to empower the youth, women and tribals?
The government allocated a budget of Rs 700 crore for youth and women in 2016-17. Both tribal and non-tribal women are engaged in lac and tusser silk trade, accounting for 60% and 82% of the country's total produce, but don't earn much due to middlemen. To boost lac trade, we've set up the Mukhyamantri Udyami Board that selects 15 women from each village and imparts skill training to them. The products are then sold through the board. For widows, the state has introduced pension and housing facilities.

Being a non-tribal CM, you hurt tribal sentiments by amending the Chhotanagpur and Santhal Pargana Tenancy Acts. Recent lynchings related to cattle trade too sullied the government's image .
This is not the first time that the tenancy Acts have been amended in the state. Tribals are being misguided by anti-development forces. The lynchings, too, were instigated by anti-national elements who timed the attacks just before the country celebrated three years of NDA government at the Centre.

To what extent is Left-wing extremism hampering development projects?
Most left-wing extremists have either been arrested, or have surrendered under the government's rehabilitation policy 'Nayee Disha'. Those remaining lack ideology or intent and will be overpowered soon.

You've gone from being a labourer's son to a CM. Where do you want to see yourself next?

My father used to say I'd end up as a labourer if I didn't study. I entered politics during the Mandal stir and became an MLA in 1995, but never saw myself as CM. I would never leave the state for the Centre. My only mission is development.