Jharkhand cabinet approves Rs 5 lakh medical insurance for lawyers

In a major decision, the Jharkhand cabinet on Friday approved Rs 5 lakh medical insurance for lawyers in the state, a move which is likely to benefit about 30,000 lawyers in the state.

The cabinet also cleared a proposal to increase the pension to advocates aged 65 years and above to Rs 14,000 per month from Rs 7,000.

The decision was taken in a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Hemant Soren.

The cabinet also gave a nod to a proposal to provide a stipend of Rs 5,000 every month to the newly enrolled advocates.

An official statement said the approval was given to make a grant-in-aid of Rs 1.5 crore to Jharkhand Advocate Welfare Fund Trustee Committee for the financial year 2024-25 for giving the amount of Rs 5,000.

It added that approval was given to pay a grant of a total amount of Rs nine crore to the Jharkhand Advocate Welfare Fund Trustee Committee in the financial year 2024-25 for providing the benefit of Jharkhand State Health Insurance Scheme provided to the State employees / retired employees.

Advocate General Rajiv Ranjan said that Jharkhand is the only state to implement the welfare of advocates and it is going to set an example for the entire country.

He said that Chief Minister Hemant Soren has fulfilled his promises made to lawyers at a meeting held with them last year.

Various lawyers' bodies hailed the decision.

The chief minister said the decision for the welfare of advocates will prove to be a historic one.

Soren in a post on X said: "For the first time in the country....The state government will now provide monthly financial assistance to all new advocates of the state for five years so that they can get the strength to stay in this profession in the initial days."

"I am confident that taking advantage of this decision, young men and women from poor families will also now mark their strong presence in the temple of justice. Hearty congratulations and johar to everyone!" he added.

The cabinet took several other decisions, including the construction of a hostel for tribal students, at a cost of about Rs 50 crore.

The proposal to cover women aged 18 years and above under the state-run "Jharkhand Mukhyamantri Mainiya Samman Yojana" was also approved to provide financial assistance to the tune of Rs 1,000 per month to them.

Earlier, the scheme was applicable to only those women who had attained the age of 21 years.

The cabinet also approved a proposal to exit from the centrally sponsored Fast Track Special Court Scheme while continuing the operation of 22 Fast Track Special Courts specially constituted in the state as per the current system by the State Government for execution of Rape and POCSO related cases.