Hemant Soren to give job letter, Rs 10 lakh aid to martyred Agniveer's kin after taking oath

Ranchi, Nov 28 (IANS) Jharkhand Chief Minister-designate Hemant Soren is set to take decisive action soon after being sworn in for his fourth term on Thursday.

Following the oath-taking ceremony, Soren will assume office at the Jharkhand Ministry at Project Bhawan. Later, he will present a government job appointment letter and a cheque for Rs 10 lakh to the martyred Agniveer's family at a government event.

Deputy Secretary Om Prakash Tiwari has issued an official letter confirming this move. The beneficiary, Arjun Kumar Mahato, a resident of Fatehpur village in Bokaro district, was serving as an Agniveer in the Indian Army when he was martyred during an encounter in Silchar, Assam, on November 22. The 2023 recruit leaves behind his father, Lankeshwar Mahato, and a grieving family.

The Hemant Soren-led Cabinet had earlier approved a proposal to provide government jobs and monetary compensation of Rs 10 lakh to the dependents of all Agniveers martyred or deceased while on duty. This move is seen as a first in India for the families of Agniveers.

Soren is set to make history as the first Chief Minister of Jharkhand to take oath for the fourth time. He first assumed office on July 13, 2013, leading a government supported by the Congress-RJD alliance until December 23, 2014. He returned to power on December 29, 2019, but resigned on January 31, 2024, following an ED arrest. After securing bail, Soren took office again on July 4, 2024.

This marks a historic return to power, as no previous Jharkhand government has been consecutively re-elected. The coalition led by Soren achieved a two-thirds majority, winning 56 seats in the 81-member Assembly in the elections held in two phases on November 13 and November 20.

Soren is also poised to surpass Arjun Munda’s record as the longest-serving Chief Minister of Jharkhand. Munda held office for 2,210 days, while Soren has already completed 2,169 days. He will set a new benchmark with his fourth term.

Adding to his accolades, Soren’s wife, Kalpana Soren, will create another milestone by becoming the first sitting MLA to vote in favour of her spouse’s government during a trust vote.