Shortly after taking the oath as Jharkhand's chief minister, Hemant Soren declared that his government would take legal action to recover Rs 1.36 trillion in coal dues from the Centre. Soren made the announcement on Thursday during a media briefing about his government's first cabinet meeting, although no new ministers were sworn in that day.

This move follows Soren's earlier appeal to the Centre, made just 25 days prior, where he pleaded "with folded hands" for the clearance of these pending dues. His first official engagement after being re-elected was a meeting with Prime Minister Modi in Delhi on Tuesday, where they discussed state matters, and Soren invited the PM to his swearing-in ceremony.

In a message shared on November 2, Soren had once again urged the Centre to settle the Rs 1.36 trillion in dues, stressing that the amount is vital for Jharkhand. He also called on BJP MPs to help secure the state's rightful payments.

Soren emphasized that the dues owed by central PSUs, including Coal India, are essential for the state's development and claimed that the failure to clear them is severely hindering progress. A recent Supreme Court ruling affirmed the state's right to collect its mining and royalty dues, with Soren highlighting that delays in payment are negatively impacting vital socio-economic projects in Jharkhand.

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