Raising questions over the delay in the salary payment to state government employees for March, the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alleged on Saturday that the fiscal mismanagement of the Hemant Soren government and a lack of funds were the reasons behind the development.
Addressing a press conference at the state headquarters, Jharkhand BJP spokesperson Pratul Shahdeo said the government’s entire financial management system has completely collapsed.
“For the first time in 26 years, government officials and employees have not received their salaries, even by the eleventh day of the month. There are 2,35,930 employees directly dependent on the government for their salaries. The number of contractual and outsourced workers stands at approximately 40,000 to 45,000. It means that a total of 275,000 people have not received their money, even after the 11th of this month,” said Pratul.
Pratul added that nearly 1.5 million people are dependent on these salaried employees who are now struggling to procure even basic rations; they are unable to pay their children’s school fees or their EMIs, and their entire household economies have grounded to a halt.
The BJP leader questioned whether the Jharkhand government, following Himachal Pradesh’ pattern, is planning to take out loans to pay salaries or merely waiting for some financial advance? Pratul noted that, typically, salary payments are disbursed by April 5th at the beginning of a new financial year—within two or three days of the budget receiving the Governor’s assent. However, this time, due to the government’s financial mismanagement, there is simply no money available.
“It is not as if the government was unaware of its lack of funds; on March 31st, the government couldn’t spend the allocated budget of ₹22,000 crore precisely because it had no funds. This, too, was a consequence of financial mismanagement, as the government failed to generate revenue collections commensurate with the budget it had formulated. On March 31st, the situation was salvaged only by using ‘Ways and Means Advances.,” he added.
Pratul stated that those who accuse the Central Government of meting out step-motherly treatment to the state should bear in mind that, as recently as March 31, the Centre transferred ₹2,300 crore to the state for rural development and Panchayati Raj, and another ₹392 crore for urban development. Yet, despite this infusion of funds, the state exchequer has run dry.
Hitting back at statements made by the BJP regarding financial management and employee pay scales, Rakesh Sinha—General Secretary and Media In-charge of the State Congress Committee—asserted that NITI Aayog has clearly demonstrated whether the state’s finances are bankrupt or robust.
“Jharkhand currently ranks third nationwide in NITI Aayog’s Financial Health Index-2026, whereas major BJP-ruled states such as Gujarat, Bihar, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi lag behind. In light of this, the allegation of financial mismanagement levelled against the state is motivated solely by politics,” he said.
“Regarding employee salaries, delays have historically occurred during the first month of every financial year. BJP lacks an understanding of financial systems and is merely spreading confusion to gain political ground. The state government has consistently prioritised the salaries, pensions, and welfare schemes of its employees,” he added.
Meanwhile, government insiders rejected the opposition party’s allegations, stating the delay was purely due to technical reasons.
“Pensioners have also already received the March payment. Employees of the cabinet department have also received their salary. Salary payment for other departments was delayed due to a delay in fund allocation to different departments. Most of the secretaries have been sent as observers to poll-bound states. Also, due to new developments related to the police department’s salary withdrawal—which is currently under investigation—some extra measures are being taken. Salaries will soon be credited to employees in all departments,” a senior finance official said.
