Ranchi, March 17 Jharkhand Minister Yogendra Prasad said on Tuesday that the government has approved the repair of over 1.44 lakh hand pumps across the state ahead of the summer season.
Funds for this purpose have also been released, he said.
"There will be no shortage of water during the summer. The government has approved the repair of 1,44,906 hand pumps," Prasad said in the assembly, in response to a question by JMM MLA Hemlal Murmu.
Murmu claimed that a water crisis can already be seen in drought-prone areas, especially in the Santhal Pargana.
"The groundwater level is gradually receding. Hand pumps installed around five or 10 years ago are not operational in some places," he said.
Prasad said the state government is working on strategies to address the issue.
Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition Babulal Marandi asserted that the state government is blaming the Centre for providing funds even for repairing hand pumps.
Responding to his remarks, Prasad said the Jharkhand government has already released funds to repair hand pumps.
Earlier, JD(U) legislator Saryu Roy raised a question over making Domchanch in Koderma district a Nagar Panchayat.
Responding to Roy, state minister Sudivya Kumar said Domchanch was notified as a Nagar Panchayat following established norms.
"It is true that certain areas have fallen within the eco-sensitive zone. We will draw a comprehensive master plan and try to resolve the issues faced by the local residents," he said.
"To ensure that commercial activities in the region remain unaffected, we will engage with the forest department to identify alternative solutions," Kumar added.
Marandi also raised the issue of alleged delay in conducting the Jharkhand Teacher Eligibility Test (JTET).
He said JTET aspirants had staged a protest outside the assembly on Monday, demanding the holding of the examination, "which has been pending for over 10 years".
"The police used force against them, during which several students were injured. I urge the government to assure the aspirants that it will hold the JTET every year," Marandi said.
He claimed that there are more than 50,000 vacant teacher posts in Jharkhand.
In response to Marandi, Kumar said the High Court has fixed March 31 as the deadline to conduct the JTET.
"We will hold the examination by then," he said.
After the lunch break, Kumar tabled the Jharkhand State University Bill, 2026, which was passed by voice vote.