Parliament passes Jharkhand bill

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, AUG. 11. Parliament today approved the Bihar Reorganisation Bill, 2000 with the Rajya Sabha passing it by a voice-vote. The Union Home Minister, Mr. L.K. Advani, announced that the three new States - Chhatisgarh, Uttaranchal and Jharkhand - would be formed by November 1.

Winding up the discussion on the Bill, which paves the way for the formation of a separate Jharkhand State from Bihar, Mr. Advani, said the procedure for formation of the States would be set in motion soon with some formalities to be completed by States and others by the Centre.

The Rajya Sabha passed the Bill after the Home Minister moved several amendments. Earlier, the House negated amendments moved by the BJD MPs, Mr. B.J. Panda and Mr. Birbhadra Singh, for referring it to a Select Committee. The Lok Sabha had passed the original Bill last week.

The Home Minister also observed that in his long Parliamentary career, he could not recollect a similar instance when three new States were created after both Houses passed the respective Bills on successive days within two weeks. Parliament had passed the other two, the Madhya Pradesh and the Uttar Pradesh Reorganisation Bills, earlier this week.

The thrust of the discussion was the members' concern for viability of the rest of Bihar and the need for a financial package in tune with demand of the State. Members from Orissa, cutting across party lines, urged for exclusion of two former princely areas of Saraikela and Kharasawan, in Singhbhum district, from the proposed State and their inclusion in Orissa to correct a ``historical injustice''.

Mr. Advani said the Government was seized of the problem that would be faced by rest of Bihar, and the Union Cabinet had decided that a special cell would be set up in the Planning Commission under the Deputy Chairman. It would draw schemes for better financial management, devolution of finances and development of the region with special emphasis on core infrastructure for the rest of Bihar.

With regard to the demands for exclusion/inclusion of the two areas, Mr. Advani said it cropped up barely a fortnight ago and said a solution could be found only through discussion between leaders of Orissa and the proposed State. The Centre, he said, would work for such a meeting.

He said it was unfair to blame the NDA government for not ``undoing historical injustice'' as suggested by Dr. M.N. Das (Congress-I) and said he would refrain from judging either way the decision of the State Reorganisation Commission to reject a similar demand then.

In addition to Mr. Panda, the other MP from among the NDA's allies who opposed the bill was Mr. C. Ramachandraiah (TDP), who reiterated party's stand against the formation of smaller States. The CPI(M) also opposed the Bill and charged that no efforts were made for development of the mineral-rich South Bihar region.

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