Jharkhand

• 26 Mar 2025

Free Water Connections for BPL Families in Jamshedpur

Why in News? 

The Jamshedpur Notified Area Committee (JNAC) has announced a significant initiative to provide free water connections to families living below the poverty line (BPL) in Jamshedpur.  

• Additionally, these families will get a 50% discount on water tariffs, making water more accessible for economically weaker households. 

Key Points 

• Objective: This initiative aligns with the government's 'Har Ghar Swachh Jal' (Clean Water for Every Household) campaign, aiming to improve living standards and strengthen water management in the city. 
• Formation of Special Team: To ensure effective implementation, JNAC has established a five-member special team comprising officials such as the Special Officer, Assistant Engineer, Junior Engineer, Revenue Officer, and City Manager. This team is tasked with identifying eligible BPL families and facilitating their enrollment in the scheme. 
• Door-to-Door Identification: The special team will conduct door-to-door visits to identify and assist eligible BPL families, ensuring that the benefits reach the intended recipients. 
• Alleviate the Financial Burden: This development is expected to significantly alleviate the financial burden on low-income families by providing them with essential water services at reduced costs. 

Note: The Jamshedpur Notified Area Committee (JNAC) was established by the Bihar Government's notification no. 6068 on 25 June, 1924. It serves as the civic body for Jamshedpur town and is recognized as the best in Jharkhand for maintaining cleanliness. 

Mukhyamantri Maiya Samman Yojana

Why in News 

The Jharkhand government has announced that under the Mukhyamantri Maiyan Samman Yojana, women whose bank accounts are not linked with Aadhaar will still receive a lump sum payment of ₹7,500 for the months of January, February, and March 2025.  

Key Points 

• Temporary Provision: The provision permitting payments without Aadhaar linkage is temporary and will be valid only until March 2025.  
  • To continue receiving assistance beyond this period, beneficiaries must link their bank accounts with Aadhaar and ensure they have a single account. 
• Cabinet Approval: The Jharkhand state cabinet, led by Chief Minister Hemant Soren, approved this amendment during a meeting where 18 proposals were sanctioned. 
• Beneficiary Statistics: Approximately 38 lakh women have already received the ₹7,500 payment for the first quarter of 2025. An additional 20 lakh women, whose bank accounts are not yet Aadhaar-linked or who possess multiple accounts, are slated to receive their payments by 31st March, 2025. 
• Future Compliance Requirement: To continue benefiting from the scheme after March 2025, recipients must ensure their bank accounts are linked with Aadhaar and that they operate a single bank account.  

 Mukhyamantri Maiyan Samman Yojana  

The Mukhyamantri Maiya Samman Yojana is a welfare initiative launched by the Jharkhand government to provide financial assistance to economically disadvantaged women in the state.  

Key Features of the Scheme: 

• Objective: 
  • The scheme aims to empower women by enhancing their financial independence and improving their quality of life.  
  • Beneficiaries are encouraged to ensure their bank accounts are linked with Aadhaar to facilitate seamless transfer of funds. 
• Monthly Financial Assistance:  
  • Beneficiaries receive ₹2,500 per month, totaling ₹30,000 annually. 
• Eligibility Criteria: 
  • Only women who are permanent residents of Jharkhand can avail the benefits of this scheme. 
  • The woman's age should not be less than 21 years and not more than 50 years. This age limit has been set to ensure that the benefits of the scheme reach women who are in the working-age group. 
  • The benefits of this scheme will be available only to women whose family's annual income is less than ₹8 lakh. 
  • The name of the woman's family must be registered under the Jharkhand State Antyodaya Anna Yojana. Only women holding pink, yellow, white, and green ration cards are eligible to apply under this scheme. 
  • The bank account of the applying woman must be linked with Aadhaar. This will ensure that the scheme's amount is directly deposited into the beneficiary's account. 
• Application Process: 
  • Offline: Initially, applications were accepted offline through special camps organized at the panchayat level. 
  • Online: The government has introduced an online portal for applications. Interested women can apply by visiting the official website.