The Jharkhand government has initiated legal action to recover ₹1.36 lakh crore in coal dues from the Centre. The government notified the Secretary of Revenue, Registration, and Land Reforms to commence the legal process. This decision follows the state government’s announcement in its first cabinet meeting last month to pursue legal avenues to secure the dues.
The notification specified that the Secretary would act as the nodal officer to initiate immediate legal action. In cases of payment obstacles by Coal India subsidiaries related to washed coal royalty dues and other common cause dues, steps will be taken to resolve these issues in consultation with the Advocate General.
Chief Minister Hemant Soren reiterated the state’s resolve to pursue legal action to realize these dues. He had previously appealed to the Centre to clear the multi-crore coal dues, emphasizing their importance for Jharkhand’s development. On November 2, Soren publicly requested the Prime Minister and Home Minister to address the outstanding dues, underscoring their critical role in the state’s economic growth.
Soren also called upon BJP colleagues and MPs to support Jharkhand in securing its rightful dues from central Public Sector Undertakings like Coal India. He claimed that the non-clearance of these dues is causing significant harm to the state’s development efforts.
A nine-judge Supreme Court bench ruling affirmed Jharkhand’s right to collect its mining and royalty dues, strengthening the state’s position in its legal pursuit against the Centre.
