THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Ranchi/New Delhi, Dec. 16: The political row over pending scholarships for OBC students and delayed Panchayati Raj funds in Jharkhand escalated on Tuesday, as a BJP delegation led by State BJP President and Leader of the Opposition Babulal Marandi met Union Ministers in New Delhi, days after a heated exchange in the Jharkhand Assembly during the Winter Session.
The delegation met Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Virendra Kumar Khatik and Union Minister for Panchayati Raj Lalan Singh to raise concerns over pending OBC scholarships, unutilised 15th Finance Commission funds, and what the BJP termed the state government’s “administrative and financial lapses”.
Backdrop: Heated Assembly Debate Over Central Funds
The development follows a sharp confrontation in the Jharkhand Assembly last week, where State Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Deepika Pandey Singh (Congress) accused the central government of deliberately blocking funds meant for Jharkhand. The allegation triggered strong protests from BJP legislators, who countered that the delay was due to the state government’s failure to submit utilisation certificates and its own financial share.
BJP, Deepika Pandey Singh Jointly Meet Union Ministers
In a significant political turn, Deepika Pandey Singh was present during the meeting with Union Panchayati Raj Minister Lalan Singh, alongside BJP leaders. The BJP delegation included Working President and MP Aditya Sahu, Union Minister Annapurna Devi, and former State BJP President and MP Deepak Prakash.
According to BJP leaders, the central government has already released the first instalment of Panchayati Raj funds for 2024–25, but the Jharkhand government has failed to submit the utilisation certificate, a mandatory requirement for further releases.
State Government ‘Failed to Act in Time’, Says Marandi
Speaking to the media after the meetings, Babulal Marandi said the delay in OBC scholarship payments was due to the state government’s failure to provide timely and complete data to the Centre.
He further alleged that Jharkhand’s financial mismanagement had resulted in its inability to release the state’s matching contribution under the 15th Finance Commission, warning that if corrective steps are not taken, the funds could lapse and be returned to the Centre by March 2026.
Centre Not at Fault, BJP Maintains
BJP leaders rejected claims that the Centre was withholding funds, asserting that procedural lapses, delayed documentation and lack of fiscal discipline by the Hemant Soren-led government were responsible for the crisis.
“The state government has made it a habit to blame the Centre to cover up its own failures,” Marandi said, adding that governance and development had taken a back seat in Jharkhand.
Political Stakes High Ahead of Key Decisions
The issue of scholarship delays, rural development funding, and Centre–state coordination has now emerged as a major flashpoint, with both the BJP and the ruling alliance seeking to shape the narrative ahead of crucial administrative and political decisions in the state.