Jharkhand CM announces Rs 1 lakh for alcohol-free villages

RANCHI: The Jharkhand government will grant Rs one lakh to villages which will become alcohol-free, the state Assembly was informed today.

To end the curse of liquor in the state, Chief Minister Raghubar Das said those villages becoming alcohol-free would be given the grant and women groups would take the initiative.

JMM MLA and former minister Champai Soren called for a ban on opening new liquor shops in villages in the scheduled areas.

Responding to the concern expressed by Leader of Opposition and JMM vice president Hemant Soren on atrocities on women, the Chief Minister said the 2015-16 budget has earmarked funds to uplift the conditions of women.

Besides imparting skill training to make women self-employable, Das said efforts would be made to support them in taking up dairy farming.

A proposal was there to open 57 more Kasturba Gandhi Girl Schools in the state, he added.