The Hemant Soren-led Jharkhand government has finalised the schedule for the crucial budget session of the state assembly and greenlit a series of significant development projects and policy decisions. The fifth budget session of the sixth legislative assembly will commence on February 18 and continue until March 19. The decision was taken during a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Hemant Soren in Ranchi on Friday.
Key Approvals and International Engagement
During the meeting, which discussed a total of 30 proposals, the council of ministers approved a high-level delegation led by the Chief Minister to participate in the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2026 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland. The delegation will also attend programmes in London, UK, during its visit from January 18 to 26, 2026.
Cabinet Coordination Department Secretary Vandana Dadel stated that the precise number of working days for the upcoming assembly session would be announced later. The session is expected to be a pivotal one, featuring the presentation and discussion of the state's annual financial budget.
Major Infrastructure and Development Projects Cleared
A substantial portion of the cabinet's focus was on infrastructure development. A major approval was granted for the construction of a Road Overbridge (ROB) between Daltonganj and Rajhara railway stations near Bajrha village in Palamu district. The project, estimated to cost Rs 101.38 crore, will see the state government contributing Rs 19.53 crore from its treasury.
Further infrastructure boosts include:
- Rs 35.43 crore for improving the riding quality of the 49.2 km Chauparan-Chatra road in Chatra district.
- Administrative approval for Rs 157.89 crore to widen and strengthen the 15.9 km two-lane road from Jaina Mod (Tilka Manjhi Chowk) to Fusro (Nirmal Mahto Chowk).
- A revised estimate of Rs 38.73 crore for the Saidapur Weir Scheme in Godda district.
Security, Education, and Social Welfare Initiatives
In a significant move to modernise policing, the cabinet sanctioned Rs 134 crore for installing 8,854 CCTV cameras across 606 police stations in Jharkhand. This initiative, based on a detailed project report from JAP-IT, aims to enhance the functioning of police stations and is in compliance with Supreme Court directives.
The higher education sector received attention with approvals for restructuring academic and non-academic posts at Jamshedpur Women's University and Jharkhand Raksha Shakti University in Ranchi. Posts were also created for the operation of the Pandit Raghunath Murmu Tribal University in Jamshedpur.
For social welfare, the cabinet approved the Netarhat Residential School Management and Operation Rules, 2026. A pilot project for the Nari Adalat Scheme under the Centre's Mission Shakti was also cleared. Initially, these women's courts will be established in 10 gram panchayats across districts including Ranchi, Khunti, Palamu, and East Singhbhum to address minor offences at the local level.
Additionally, the cabinet gave its consent for establishing a 50,000 litres per day capacity dairy plant at the Government Animal Breeding Farm in Titirbila, Seraikela-Kharsawan district. The project, to be completed by the 2026-27 financial year, was relocated from an earlier proposed site in Baliguma, Jamshedpur.
