Jharkhand, Development and Politics: Avenues and Challenges

$26.10

$29.00

In stock

Free & Quick Delivery Worldwide

Although Jharkhand holds only 2.3 per cent of the total land area of India, it holds over 36 per cent of the mineral resources of the country. Jharkhand contributed almost 23 per cent of the mineral wealth of India. In contrast 40 per cent of its total population of 2,69,09,428 (2001 census) is still below poverty line and depends on the state for subsidized food, struggling for its existence. This population is equivalent to the population of two European countries: Ireland and Denmark. So, a population equal to two well developed countries of Europe is reeling under poverty in Jharkhand and surviving on less than Rs. 50 a day. In Jharkhand, 70 per cent of its people depend on agriculture for their livelihood. The total cultivated land in Jharkhand is only 18057 lakh hectares, out of which a meager 1.97 lakh hectares is irrigated. An immediate corollary of this is, regular droughts and chronic migration of people every years. Jharkhand is one of the biggest grain-deficit states in the country. The per capita availability of foodgrains in Jharkhand is only 230 grams per day, against the average per capita availability of 523 grams per day at all-India level. Literacy is a crucial parameter of development. At 33rd position out of a total of 34 states and union territories, Jharkhand is at the bottom of literacy level in the country, which is abysmally low at 53.6 per cent. The infant mortality and maternal death rate in Jharkhand is one of the highest in the country and comparable only to the poorest sub-Saharan African countries. Child mortality is 92 per thousand and around 58,000 children die every year due to the absence of even basic medical provision in Jharkhand.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR M K Singh

M.K. Singh was born at Daltonganj (Jharkhand) on 2nd August 1963. He did his graduation from Patna University and Post-graduation in Sociology from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. He has wide and varied experience of serving in government but his keen interest and involvement in developmental issues and welfare of the common man made him relinquish his job with the government. With a burning desire to get the common people associated wit the cause of development, he initiated raising of welfare issues and mobilization of people to fight against injustices and lapses in government schemes. His focus has been on chronic problems such as Kalazar, malnutrition, drought and hunger deaths and his efforts have borne positive results with great relief to masses. Leakage in public distribution system, providing compulsory education to all, absenteeism of teachers and doctors, migration and displacement miseries, are some of the other issues which he has been canvassing against, and highlighting at various`s social and political platforms. He has been relentlessly interacting with different constitutional bodies and functionaries such as the Planning Commission, Finance Commission, Members of Parliament, the Governor and the President of India in his bid to sensitise them about major socio-economic issues of Jharkhand with specific reference to the tribal community. He has organized various seminars on issues like Tribal Rights (Forest) Bill, to promote the tribal cause. It is his constant endeavour to serve the cause of poor and weaker sections of the society in order to achieve the overall development of Jharkhand which it truly deserves.