Ranchi: A two-day special session of the Jharkhand assembly would be held on Nov 25 and 26 to deliberate over contentious issues, including the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and the recently amended MMDR Act.The decision was taken during the Tuesday’s cabinet meeting, chaired by chief minister (CM) Hemant Soren, which approved a total of 62 proposals.Hemant said, “SIR is a big issue in the country. Besides, there are also concerns about the recently approved MMDR Act and many other topics. Hence, we decided to convene a short session to deliberate and take a decision in the assembly.”The CM is scheduled to participate in the Nov 1 rally on SIR in Delhi by the Congress-led opposition bloc at the Centre, sources said.Among the key decisions taken during the meeting was the approval of the Jharkhand Municipal Land/Building Transfer Surcharge Rules, 2026, which would make property transactions costlier in urban areas. Under the new rules, buyers of land and buildings in municipal and notified urban areas would have to pay an additional surcharge equivalent to 10% of the stamp duty and registration fee. The proceeds would be used by urban local bodies for infrastructure and development works.The cabinet cleared amendments under the Jharkhand Mineral Bearing Land Cess Act, 2024, and approved the Jharkhand Mineral Exploration and Block Development Policy, 2026, paving the way for operationalisation of mineral blocks through the Jharkhand Exploration and Mining Corporation Ltd (JEMCL), the Jharkhand State Mineral Development Corporation Ltd (JSMDCL), and other state entities.In the healthcare sector, the cabinet cleared Rs 545 crore for construction of a new 500-bed hospital building at the MGMMCH in Jamshedpur and Rs 284 crore for development of the proposed Jharkhand Medicocity, a 5,000-bed healthcare hub aimed at boosting super-speciality medical services and medical tourism.The cabinet also approved the establishments of ‘health and well-being units’ at all state-run universities and colleges to provide the fraternity with first aid, emergency support, and mental health counselling. Institutions would earmark 2% of their annual budget for the initiative, while digital health IDs would be created for students.In a push for skill development, students of govt polytechnic institutions would be offered internship opportunities at the Jharkhand govt tool rooms located in Ranchi, Dumka, and Ramgarh.Other important decisions included approval of an expert committee framework for technical studies and policy advice, funds for the CCTV installation project in police stations, implementation of the State Probation Service Rules, 2026, and several irrigation, road, power and rural infrastructure projects across the state.
