CM bats for home-grown DVC head
OUR CORRESPONDENT

Ranchi, April 15: Chief minister Arjun Munda today demanded the appointment of a person belonging to Jharkhand as the new chairman of the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC).

Munda has also suggested a few names to the Union power ministry for the top post. The DVC has been functioning without a chairman since last July. The Centre will appoint a new chairman after consulting the governments of Jharkhand and Bengal. Before the formation of Jharkhand, Bihar and Bengal exercised their choice of a DVC chief by turns.

“The new DVC chief should either be a seasoned administrator or a technical expert, who has in-depth knowledge about Jharkhand, especially the problems being faced in the company’s catchment areas,” Munda said.

The chief minister is said to have been upset with the company’s recent decision to shift its Koderma units to Raghunathpur in Bengal. He has also taken strong exception to the neglect of thermal power units in Chandrapura. The state has repeatedly demanded the DVC management to rehabilitate the displaced and secure jobs for local youths.

The chief minister, who returned from a tour of Germany earlier this week, is also eager to introduce vocational courses for Class VIII students. Currently, the state offers vocational courses at the higher secondary level.

Taking inspiration from the German system, Munda argued that the European nation offered vocational training in as many as 600 disciplines, as against barely two dozen courses in the state.

He added that several potential investors from Germany were likely to visit Jharkhand to explore opportunities in the vocational training sector.

Munda told reporters that his interactions with investors in Berlin, Hanover, Munich and Hamburg showed encouraging signs. “The Indian mission in Germany will compile a report on my visit and send it to the ministry of external affairs. The Indian embassy in Germany has extended full support to us. I am hopeful of Jharkhand getting maximum benefits out of the Indo-German relationship,” he added.

In a bid to boost agriculture, Munda also intends to send his team of ministers and MLAs abroad to assess better models.

He pointed out that after a month, he would seek suggestions from public representatives, including members of zilla parishads and panchayat samitis, experts and businessmen to prepare an approach paper for the Twelfth Five Year Plan (2012-17).

“We believe in development-oriented politics. Our Twelfth Five Year Plan should also reflect a commitment to achieve growth in tune with Vision 2010. The latest census report reveals that literacy rate in Jharkhand has improved. Now, improving the quality of education is our focus,” the chief minister said.

The chief minister also met Chinese consul-general Zhang Lizhong and received an invitation to visit China. The two discussed Jharkhand’s topography, welfare schemes being run for scheduled tribes and rural development work.

Lizhong, who also met Governor M.O.H. Farook, said China was interested in strengthening ties with India, especially on economic and cultural fronts. Lizhong, who arrived in Ranchi today, will visit Bokaro tomorrow.