The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the Revised Jharia Master Plan (JMP), designed to address long-standing issues of underground fires, land subsidence, and the rehabilitation of affected families in the Jharia Coalfield. The total financial outlay for the revised plan is Rs 59.40 billion.

The plan follows a phased approach, prioritizing the most vulnerable sites for fire control, subsidence mitigation, and family resettlement. In addition to providing housing, the revised plan places strong emphasis on sustainable livelihood generation for displaced families.

As part of the rehabilitation measures, skill development programmes will be introduced to improve the employability of displaced individuals. Both Legal Title Holders (LTH) and Non-Legal Title Holders (Non-LTH) will be eligible for a Livelihood Grant of Rs 1 lakh and can access institutional credit support of up to Rs 3 lakh.

Infrastructure development is a key component of the plan, with provisions for roads, electricity, water supply, sewerage systems, schools, hospitals, skill development centres, and community halls at all resettlement sites. These components will be implemented based on the recommendations of the Committee for Implementation of the Revised Jharia Master Plan to ensure a comprehensive and humane resettlement process.

A Jharia Alternative Livelihoods Rehabilitation Fund will also be created to finance livelihood initiatives, and skill development will be carried out in collaboration with Multi-Skill Development Institutes in the region. These steps aim to promote self-reliance and long-term income generation for affected families, marking the revised JMP as a critical step toward sustainable socioeconomic development.

News source: DD News