With cloud of concern on weekend Munda rushes to US

VIJAY DEO JHA

RANCHI

Taking time out from the distressing domestic wrangles that he has been facing of late, Arjun Munda flew abroad on Friday, leaving behind two partially-resolved issues — the striking JSEB employees and MLAs fund.

By the time Munda took flight to Delhi this afternoon to board a flight for US; agitating employees of Jharkhand State Electricity Board (JSEB) had called off their strike over privatization of power distribution in Ranchi and Jamshedpur. Munda will return on December 18 likely. 

It is not enforcement of ‘Essential Service Maintenance Act’ on recalcitrant striking employees rather Jharkhand High Court taking suo-motto notice of the strike and severe reprimand over state facing blackout; hastened them to dissolve their agitation. Otherwise they have been calling privatization a corporate conspiracy.

For Munda who holds Energy department; it is a baby step towards reformation and revamp of JSEB. CMO sources said that Munda is quite likely to start the process of unbundling of JSEB which has long been pending. “Reforms are required and even High Court has felt the need of trifurcation of JSEB for professional reasons. Controversy over CESC and Tata Power being given power distribution work in Ranchi and Jamshedpur are unfounded. They will be investing Rs 160 crore and Rs 150 respectively in both towns to install fresh lines and electric transformers. While JSEB bosses have tendency to supply inferior stuff,” CMO sources said.

CMO sources listed merits of above privatization: said companies will stop 32 per cent of transmission loss out of power theft and others. In Ranchi Rs 12 crore of power theft is reported annually and if stopped it will add into shrinking revenue of JSEB.  “Reforms have been initiated in the light of ‘Central Electricity Act 2003.’ Please note it is a personal initiative of CM,” sources added.

But employees’ union on previous occasion had argued the government should give them last chance of to streamline functioning of JSEB on cooperative basis. They sounded like a spoilt child now promising to be disciplined because JSEB has been a house of scam and a horror story of mismanagement all these years.

But over the issue of non-release of MLA fund CMO sources admitted Munda faced isolation inside and outside of the House during recently concluded Winter Session of the assembly. Speaker had to suspend the proceedings because of lack of quorum as MLAs refused to attend the house over non-release of fund from last nine months.

Munda is learnt to be particularly unpleased with his own party MLAs led by his bête noir Raghuwar Das who with behind the scene support of Assembly Speaker CP Singh joined hand with Opposition leader Rajendra Singh over this issue.

Munda assured the House to resolve the issue within 15 days. Munda reportedly expressed displeasure on his deputy Chief Minister Sudesh Mahato and Hemant Soren whom he believed blithely eased responsibility off their shoulders and pretended not a crease of blame, much less a scar. 

“Where is CM is culprit? Technical objections over release of fund were made by the Finance Department held by Hemant Soren and the fund is released by Rural Development Department headed by Sudesh Mahato. And where was public account committee?” a legislator asked.

For two days when the House boomed over the issue; Munda deliberately turned late in the assembly, aware of Das-Singhs tandem having laid deadly trap for him.  Munda can’t bet on calm for a while yet.