Hemant, team to visit Sweden, Spain in bid to woo investors

Ranchi: To scout foreign investments for Jharkhand, chief minister Hemant Soren will lead a high-level delegation to Spain and Sweden this month. This will be Hemant govt's first major attempt to woo global investors after assuming office for the second consecutive stint in November last year. The state cabinet, chaired by the chief minister at Project Building on Tuesday, formally approved a proposal in this regard.
Sources said the govt has also sent a formal proposal to Union ministry of external affairs for mandatory clearance for the visit. In March, TOI reported the state govt's plan for an international tour to woo investors.
The entire tour duration to both destinations will be eight to 10 days. The delegation will visit Spain first on April 19 where it will hold round-table meets and trade talks among others in Madrid and Barcelona. From April 25 onwards, the delegation will be at Gothenburg in Sweden and begin the return journey on April 27. A maximum of 20 members will be part of the delegation, comprising senior brass of the govt.
In another significant decision, the cabinet okayed amendments to VAT on aviation turbine fuel (ATF) under Schedule II Part E of the Jharkhand Value Added Tax Act, 2005. "Earlier, 4% tax was on ATF and it will be increased to 21%," cabinet secretary Vandana Dadel said.
Fifteen proposals were cleared at the meeting. The cabinet also approved the Jharkhand Grassroots Innovation Internship Scheme under which college students will get eight months of summer internship to work in villages as part of their academic curriculum.
"The govt will provide Rs 10,000 stipend during the period in two instalments," Dadel said, adding that the scheme will be implemented at panchayat levels and every year, 17,380 students will be chosen for the scheme. This scheme is said to be inspired by the Gujarat Grassroots Innovation Augmentation Network (GIAN) to provide students with on-ground experience in rural development. It also approved partial concession in the VAT on bulk purchase of high-speed diesel within the state by registered dealers in mining and manufacturing. "Under the Jharkhand Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, and the Jharkhand Value Added Tax Act, 2005, 22% tax or Rs 12.50 per litre, whichever is higher, was imposed earlier. It has been changed to 15% now," Dadel said.
Moreover, the govt will soon surrender 8,900 posts, including 8,650 out of 9,470 vacant posts from the cadre of govt secondary school teachers (TGT) and 250 out of 797 posts from the govt +2 school teachers (PGT) cadre. "In place of these posts, 1,373 posts of Secondary Acharya will be created based on requirements in 510 govt +2 schools," Dadel said.
The cabinet also okayed new recruitment rules for clerical posts in the state water resources department and new guidelines for hospital management to improve health facilities.