Ranchi, Nov 12 (IANS) The Jharkhand Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Hemant Soren, on Wednesday approved convening the winter session of the state Assembly from December 5 to December 11.

A total of 18 proposals related to infrastructure, education, administrative reforms, and social welfare were cleared during the cabinet meeting.

Briefing the media, Cabinet Secretary Vandana Dadel said the Cabinet also approved the decision to declare native Mangur fish as the state fish of Jharkhand, a move aimed at boosting conservation and promoting its commercial production.

In another key decision, the Cabinet approved e-evidence and e-summons model rules to facilitate the implementation of the three new criminal laws, which are expected to enhance transparency and speed up judicial proceedings.

To strengthen science and technology education, the government decided to establish STEM labs in all Chief Minister’s Schools of Excellence across the state’s 24 districts.

Among other approvals, the Cabinet sanctioned the creation of Head Forest Guard posts by promoting 1,315 forest guards out of the 3,883 sanctioned posts in the Forest Department.

The Cabinet also extended old pension scheme benefits to the teachers and staff of Netarhat Residential School, Jharkhand’s premier residential institution.

To boost tourism, the government approved a proposal to redevelop a hotel in Deoghar into a four-star facility on a public-private partnership (PPP) model at an estimated cost of Rs 113.97 crore.

Two major road projects also received approval — Rs 133 crore for upgrading the Giridih-Jamua Road to two lanes and Rs 29.76 crore for improving the Simdega-Kerasai-Odisha Border Road.

Additionally, Rs 37.27 crore was sanctioned from the contingency fund for the Setu Bandhan Project aimed at bridge construction and connectivity improvement.

The Cabinet also approved the lease of 147.05 acres of land in Latehar district to a private company for the Chakla Coal Project for 30 years.

Other decisions included amendments to the service rules of the Police Radio Department and the India Reserve Battalion, and the regularisation of contract workers under the Polytechnic Education Project.

–IANS

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