Marandi demands Rs 10,000 crore package from Centre

Giridih (Jharkhand), Jan 12 (PTI) Renewing its demandto declare Jharkhand as famine-hit, former Chief Minister,Babulal Marandi today demanded that the Centre provides Rs10,000 crore as financial assistance to meet the state''sneeds.

"The people of the state are hit hard by successivedrought years. The poor are unable to purchase grains as theyare not getting ration though the state has announced it,"Marandi, who is the president of Jharkhand Vikas Morcha(Prajatantric), told a news conference here.

"We demand the financial package to address thestate''s requirement in the face of rising prices too," theLok Sabha member added.

Marandi accused the Arjun Munda government of notkeeping its commitment to dig wells and sink tubewells acrossthe state.

The JVM-P would give a ''bhoj (feast)'' for 20 lakh poorpeople on January 29 in different places in the state, he saidand "The bhoj is a way to highlight how the poor are starvingin the face of famine."

To realise its demand, the party had called a two-dayeconomic blockade on February 11 and 12 and would not allow asingle truck taking raw materials or products outsideJharkhand, he said.

He also demanded shifting of the headquarters ofDamodar Valley Corporation and Coal India Limited from Kolkatato Jharkhand and converting Dhanbad Rail Division intoDhanbad Rail Zone.