Student protests in Jharkhand have intensified as thousands continue demonstrating against alleged irregularities in JPSC and JSSC recruitment examinations. The movement, centered in Ranchi, has drawn nationwide attention, with protesters demanding transparency and accountability in government recruitment.

The Jharkhand government has formed a task force to engage with the students and asked them to nominate a five-member committee for discussions. However, the protesters have rejected closed-door negotiations and are insisting on a public dialogue with government representatives.

The protest, led by the JPSC-JSSC Reform Manch, has been ongoing at Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium since July 25. Activist Devendra Nath Mahto has been on an indefinite hunger strike since August 2, vowing to continue until the government accepts the students' demands. Following an appeal from activist Sonam Wangchuk, he agreed to drink water but continues his fast.

Jharkhand Student Protest Intensifies | Youth Demand Fair Recruitment Exams & Public Talks

Altogether 180 migrant workers reached Jharkhand from Andaman and Nicobar Islands on Saturday by a state-sponsored charter flight, expressing relief from over two-month-long hardships due to lockdown.

Migrants were flown back home from Andaman and&nbsp;Nicobar a day after 60 stranded workers returned to the state from Leh by a service flight arranged by the state government.

"The expenses of both the flights are borne by the Hemant Soren government", an official statement said here. 
The returnees will be sent by buses to their respective districts after health test, officials said.

The migrants said they were given food and shelter by the Andaman administration, NGOs and fellow natives, settled in the island for several decades.

Migrant workers were flown back home in charter flights by the Jharkhand government after the chief minister wrote to Union Home minister Amit Shah on May 21, seeking permission to operate flights to bring back stranded migrant workers from Andaman-Nicobar Islands, Ladakh and the northeast as they could not be ferried by buses or trains.

The returnees from Andaman and&nbsp;Nicobar had requested the Jharkhand government to make arrangement for their return as they were stranded in the Island following the nationwide lockdown.

The chief minister had also agreed that bringing migrants from some places by train or buses was very difficult and air route was necessary to end mental stress of the migrants.

After emerging from Ranchi's Birsa Munda Airport, a labourer said, "Many of us worked in road construction projects and endured much pain due to the lockdown."

He said they were engaged in road construction between South Andaman and North Andaman.

Another labourer said, "We were staying in South Andaman and got food from the administration, NGOs and some people from Jharkhand who have stayed there for a long time."

The migrants went through health screening before they boarded the flight at Port Blair, officials said.

Four years ago, a young tribal woman, who then worked in a shop there, had told visiting journalists from Jharkhand that her forefathers had come to the Island from the state several decades ago and their generations have settled there and also contributed to the development of Andaman.

"Now several generations have settled here (Andaman) and are earning livelihood," she said, tracing her roots to Jharkhand.

According to a Port Blair-based journalist, several natives of this region of the country, which is now known as Jharkhand, were brought to the island in 1930s by the British for infrastructure works and they stayed there since.

"Even a place is named as 'Ranchi-Tegri' and some of the states natives also stay at Bartang," he said.

Nearly 4.5 lakh of around 7 lakh migrant workers spread across the country have reached Jharkhand since May 1 by special trains, buses and now flights.

Till Friday, 313 out of the total 522 confirmed coronavirus cases are migrants. The infection has claimed five lives since the outbreak of the pandemic on March 31.

Jharkhand Water and&nbsp;Sanitation Minister Mithilesh Thakur, who reached the airport to welcome the third batch of migrants returning by flight in as many days, said another flight would take off from Andaman on Sunday.

"This is the third flight which brought migrant workers from places where trains or buses are difficult to bring them. Tomorrow another flight will take off from Andaman &amp; Nicobar Island," Thakur told reporters.

"The government is working to give employment to them in the state," he added.

Besides Thakur, senior MLA and former deputy chief minister Stephen Marandi was also present at the airport and handed food packets to returnees.

They said Jharkhand is the state where the first train and the first flight carrying migrant pravasis reached the state during the lockdown.

A migrant, who hails from Bokaro said, "We were in distress, but now feel relieved after reaching Ranchi."

Altogether 180 migrant workers reached Jharkhand from Andaman and Nicobar Islands on Saturday by a state-sponsored charter flight, expressing relief from over two-month-long hardships due to lockdown.

Altogether 180 migrant workers reached Jharkhand from Andaman and Nicobar Islands on Saturday by a state-sponsored charter flight, expressing relief from over two-month-long hardships due to lockdown. Migrants were flown back home from Andaman and Nicobar a day after 60 stranded workers returned to the state from Leh by a service flight arranged by the state government. "The expenses of both the flights are borne by the Hemant Soren government", an official statement said here. The returnees will be sent by buses to their respective districts after health test, officials said. The migrants said they were given food and shelter by the Andaman administration, NGOs and fellow natives, settled in the island for several decades. Migrant workers were flown back home in charter flights by the Jharkhand government after the chief minister wrote to Union Home minister Amit Shah on May 21, seeking permission to operate flights to bring back stranded migrant workers from Andaman-Nicobar Islands, Ladakh and the northeast as they could not be ferried by buses or trains. The returnees from Andaman and Nicobar had requested the Jharkhand government to make arrangement for their return as they were stranded in the Island following the nationwide lockdown. The chief minister had also agreed that bringing migrants from some places by train or buses was very difficult and air route was necessary to end mental stress of the migrants. After emerging from Ranchi's Birsa Munda Airport, a labourer said, "Many of us worked in road construction projects and endured much pain due to the lockdown." He said they were engaged in road construction between South Andaman and North Andaman. Another labourer said, "We were staying in South Andaman and got food from the administration, NGOs and some people from Jharkhand who have stayed there for a long time." The migrants went through health screening before they boarded the flight at Port Blair, officials said. Four years ago, a young tribal woman, who then worked in a shop there, had told visiting journalists from Jharkhand that her forefathers had come to the Island from the state several decades ago and their generations have settled there and also contributed to the development of Andaman. "Now several generations have settled here (Andaman) and are earning livelihood," she said, tracing her roots to Jharkhand. According to a Port Blair-based journalist, several natives of this region of the country, which is now known as Jharkhand, were brought to the island in 1930s by the British for infrastructure works and they stayed there since. "Even a place is named as 'Ranchi-Tegri' and some of the states natives also stay at Bartang," he said. Nearly 4.5 lakh of around 7 lakh migrant workers spread across the country have reached Jharkhand since May 1 by special trains, buses and now flights. Till Friday, 313 out of the total 522 confirmed coronavirus cases are migrants. The infection has claimed five lives since the outbreak of the pandemic on March 31. Jharkhand Water and Sanitation Minister Mithilesh Thakur, who reached the airport to welcome the third batch of migrants returning by flight in as many days, said another flight would take off from Andaman on Sunday. "This is the third flight which brought migrant workers from places where trains or buses are difficult to bring them. Tomorrow another flight will take off from Andaman & Nicobar Island," Thakur told reporters. "The government is working to give employment to them in the state," he added. Besides Thakur, senior MLA and former deputy chief minister Stephen Marandi was also present at the airport and handed food packets to returnees. They said Jharkhand is the state where the first train and the first flight carrying migrant pravasis reached the state during the lockdown. A migrant, who hails from Bokaro said, "We were in distress, but now feel relieved after reaching Ranchi."

After Leh, Jharkhand government flies 180 migrants from Andaman in charter flight

A Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MLA on Wednesday said Lalu Prasad Yadav`s parole has been intentionally delayed by Jharkhand government.

Fodder scam convict Lalu was granted a five-day parole to attend his elder son Tej Pratap Yadav`s wedding.

"Till now, we have no information about his parole. As per the jail guidelines, it is not allowed to exit from the jail after 6 in the evening. So, I think (Jharkhand) government and administration have intentionally delayed his parole," RJD MLA Shakti Singh Yadav told.

He added that "the way government and administration have shown red-tapism, it is a clear indication that they want to demoralise Lalu ji".

Lalu, who has been convicted in three fodder scam cases by a special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court in Ranchi since December last year, is ailing and currently undergoing treatment at Rajendra Institute Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Ranchi.

The RJD chief, who has been serving a jail term in Birsa Munda central jail, was admitted to AIIMS on March 29 for specialised treatment.

On April 30, the AIIMS later referred Lalu to RIMS.

Lalu`s elder son Tej Pratap will get married to Aishwarya Rai, eldest daughter of RJD leader Chandrika Prasad Rai, on May 12 in Patna.

Tej Pratap Yadav got engaged to Aishwarya at a posh hotel in Patna on April 18.&nbsp

Fodder scam convict Lalu was granted a five-day parole to attend his elder son Tej Pratap Yadav`s wedding.

A Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MLA on Wednesday said Lalu Prasad Yadav`s parole has been intentionally delayed by Jharkhand government. Fodder scam convict Lalu was granted a five-day parole to attend his elder son Tej Pratap Yadav`s wedding. "Till now, we have no information about his parole. As per the jail guidelines, it is not allowed to exit from the jail after 6 in the evening. So, I think (Jharkhand) government and administration have intentionally delayed his parole," RJD MLA Shakti Singh Yadav told. He added that "the way government and administration have shown red-tapism, it is a clear indication that they want to demoralise Lalu ji". Lalu, who has been convicted in three fodder scam cases by a special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court in Ranchi since December last year, is ailing and currently undergoing treatment at Rajendra Institute Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Ranchi. The RJD chief, who has been serving a jail term in Birsa Munda central jail, was admitted to AIIMS on March 29 for specialised treatment. On April 30, the AIIMS later referred Lalu to RIMS. Lalu`s elder son Tej Pratap will get married to Aishwarya Rai, eldest daughter of RJD leader Chandrika Prasad Rai, on May 12 in Patna. Tej Pratap Yadav got engaged to Aishwarya at a posh hotel in Patna on April 18.

Lalu Prasad's parole delayed intentionally: RJD MLA

The Jharkhand government will purchase sanitary napkins from Self-help Groups (SHGs) for distribution among schoolgirls, Chief Minister Raghubar Das has said.

The government had during the recent budget session taken this decision to empower women working in SHGs, the CM told reporters yesterday after inspecting a sanitary napkin manufacturing centre at Bagunhatu in Jamshedpur East constituency, his home turf.

Das had won five times in a row from the constituency since 1995.

Tata Steel, under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives, has been providing training to women in SHGs to make sanitary napkins.

Altogether 15 SHGs here have been engaged in napkin manufacturing work in Bagunhatu, the CM said, adding that the initiative is aimed at promoting self-employment.

The state that was spending around Rs 25 crores annually to buy sanitary napkins from contractors will now procure them from these self-help groups, he said.

Appealing to the media to promote locally made goods, he said Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s dream of doubling the income of poor can be fulfilled by endorsing products of small and cottage industries.

The CM appreciated the women engaged in manufacturing the napkins and said the initiative will benefit families that do not have a proper source of income.

The state government&#39;s move comes at a time when people have been actively participating in actor Akshay Kumar&#39;s &#39;Pad Man Challenge&#39; on social media to promote menstrual hygiene.

&#39;Pad Man&#39;, a film starring Akshay Kumar and Sonam Kapoor, tracks the journey of social activist Arunachalam Muruganantham, the inventor of the low-cost sanitary pad-making machine.&nbsp;

Altogether 15 SHGs here have been engaged in napkin manufacturing work in Bagunhatu

The Jharkhand government will purchase sanitary napkins from Self-help Groups (SHGs) for distribution among schoolgirls, Chief Minister Raghubar Das has said. The government had during the recent budget session taken this decision to empower women working in SHGs, the CM told reporters yesterday after inspecting a sanitary napkin manufacturing centre at Bagunhatu in Jamshedpur East constituency, his home turf. Das had won five times in a row from the constituency since 1995. Tata Steel, under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives, has been providing training to women in SHGs to make sanitary napkins. Altogether 15 SHGs here have been engaged in napkin manufacturing work in Bagunhatu, the CM said, adding that the initiative is aimed at promoting self-employment. The state that was spending around Rs 25 crores annually to buy sanitary napkins from contractors will now procure them from these self-help groups, he said. Appealing to the media to promote locally made goods, he said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's dream of doubling the income of poor can be fulfilled by endorsing products of small and cottage industries. The CM appreciated the women engaged in manufacturing the napkins and said the initiative will benefit families that do not have a proper source of income. The state government's move comes at a time when people have been actively participating in actor Akshay Kumar's 'Pad Man Challenge' on social media to promote menstrual hygiene. 'Pad Man', a film starring Akshay Kumar and Sonam Kapoor, tracks the journey of social activist Arunachalam Muruganantham, the inventor of the low-cost sanitary pad-making machine.

Jharkhand govt will buy sanitary pads from Self-Help Groups: CM