Ranchi: Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Monday said that the 82nd birth anniversary of Dishom Guru Shibu Soren holds deep significance for the poor, workers, and tribal communities of the state. Addressing a dialogue programme on the implementation of the Guruji Student Credit Card Scheme at Tana Bhagat Indoor Stadium, Khelgaon, the Chief Minister said that although Dishom Guru is no longer physically present, his ideals and values continue to inspire generations.
Legacy of Dishom Guru Shibu Soren
CM Soren described Jharkhand as a land of martyrs and brave heroes, recalling the contributions of legendary leaders such as Birsa Munda and Sido-Kanhu, who sacrificed their lives for freedom, protection of land, forests, and the creation of a separate Jharkhand state. He said Dishom Guru Shibu Soren was one such towering personality who not only led the movement for a separate state but also fought against social evils like the exploitative mahajani system.
“On a single call by Guruji, tribal and indigenous people from every corner would take to the streets. He devoted his life to securing rights for the marginalized and ensuring education for future generations,” the Chief Minister said.
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Government’s Commitment to Education
Emphasizing education as the foundation of development, CM Soren said the state government is working with the goal of ensuring that every child in Jharkhand is educated. He highlighted several major initiatives undertaken in the education sector, including the Guruji Student Credit Card Scheme, 100% scholarships for higher education abroad, establishment of large district-level libraries, and Chief Minister’s Excellence Schools to ensure quality education for children from poor families.
He said Jharkhand is the first state in the country to provide education loans of up to ₹15 lakh at a nominal 4% interest rate under the Guruji Student Credit Card Scheme. “In other states, loan amounts are lower and interest rates higher. I urge students to take full advantage of this scheme and help others benefit from it as well,” he added.
Empowering Youth Beyond Government Jobs
Addressing the youth, CM Soren said the government does not want young people to depend solely on government jobs. “We want to prepare you in such a way that you can excel in any competition, anywhere in the country or the world,” he said, assuring students that the government will walk alongside them in achieving their goals.
“You take one step forward, and the government will take ten steps ahead to support you. This is our promise, because we are soldiers of Guruji,” he said.
Major Announcements and New Initiatives
On the occasion, the Chief Minister announced and launched several initiatives:
- Education Loan Sanctions: Loan sanction letters worth nearly ₹12 crore were distributed to 55 beneficiaries under the Guruji Student Credit Card Scheme. Since its launch two years ago, 2,430 students have benefited from the scheme.
- Digital Governance Tools: The CM inaugurated a Public Dashboard and an AI-based Chatboard developed by NIT Jamshedpur to enhance transparency and public participation in government welfare schemes.
- CM Fellowship – Academic Excellence Scheme: 23 research scholars received scholarships of ₹25,000 each.
- Grassroot Innovation Internship Scheme: A two-month internship program was launched, offering 17,000 internship opportunities for graduate and postgraduate students, along with a ₹10,000 stipend. Students will work in teams across 4,345 panchayats to identify local innovations, traditional knowledge, folk arts, handicrafts, and their practitioners.
- Library and Learning Initiatives: The Master Sobren Manjhi District Library was inaugurated at the CM Excellence School campus in Ramrudra, Bokaro. The Chief Minister also launched Guruji Night School, focusing on anthropology and tribal studies at a global level. The library will initially operate daily until 8 pm.
Dignitaries Present
The programme was attended by Higher Education Minister Sudivya Kumar, MLA Suresh Kumar Baitha, Rajya Sabha MP Mahua Maji, Chief Secretary Avinash Kumar, Director General of Police Tadasha Mishra, Principal Secretary Rahul Kumar Purwar, and a large number of students.
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