Amit Shah promises Rs 500 crore package to revive Koderma's stone industry

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said that the stone industry in Jharkhand's Koderma would be revived with a Rs 500 crore special package.

Addressing an election rally at Barkatha in Hazaribag district, he hit out at Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren for demanding Rs 1.36 lakh crore in lieu of coal mining dues, and said that the Narendra Modi government has already allocated Rs 3.80 lakh crore to the state in addition to funds for infrastructure development.

"Koderma stone industry (mica) has been closed. We will revive it with a Rs 500 cr special package in the coming days," Shah said.

Shah also launched a scathing attack on Soren saying, "I have never seen a liar like Hemant Soren, who is asking for Rs 1.36 lakh crore (in lieu of coal mining dues) whereas the Centre has already given Rs 3.80 lakh crore to Jharkhkand in addition to funds for infrastructure development from 2014-2024 in comparison to barely Rs 84,000 crore given by the UPA government from 2004-2014."  He alleged that the "corrupt" Soren government has thrown open the doors for Bangladeshi infiltrators who are marrying multiple tribal women for grabbing land.

"Infiltrators who tortured women in Jharkhand will be hanged upside down," he said.

He also blamed wrong policies of the Hemant government for the death of 17 people during an excise constable recruitment drive in the state.

Elections to the 81-member assembly in the state will take place in two phases on November 13 and 20, and votes will be counted on November 23.