This comprehensive update covers key stories and trends that shaped the state’s journey, offering insights into leadership changes, law and order concerns, policy initiatives, and more. Read on to stay informed about the most important highlights of Jharkhand NEWS – 16 April 2025.

Table of Contents

Jharkhand NEWS

🟩 Hemant Soren Elected JMM Central President

📰 Source: The Avenue Mail
📘 Subject: Jharkhand Polity & Governance

Hemant Soren was unanimously elected as the central president of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), formally succeeding his father Shibu Soren after 38 years. This pivotal moment in Jharkhand News April 2025 marks a generational shift in regional politics. The party also conferred the title of “Founding Patron” on Shibu Soren.

Hemant reiterated the party’s commitment to tribal rights and welfare through the “Jal, Jungle, Zameen” doctrine. He announced an ex-gratia payment of ₹1 lakh for statehood movement agitators, reinforcing the party’s grassroots focus.

📌 Points to Remember:

Hemant Soren becomes JMM President, replacing his father.
JMM emphasizes tribal welfare and environmental rights.
Strengthening local governance and party organization.
Announces welfare for statehood activists.
Reinforces JMM’s public-centric legacy.

🚨 India Justice Report: Jharkhand Slips in Policing

📰 Source: The Avenue Mail
📘 Subject: Governance & Justice

The India Justice Report 2025, published by Tata Trust in collaboration with reputed organisations like Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy, TISS-Prayas, Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, and others, paints a concerning picture for Jharkhand’s justice delivery system.

The report ranks 18 large and midsized Indian states (population >1 crore) across four pillars:

Police
Judiciary
Prisons
Legal Aid

Jharkhand’s performance has worsened in policing and overall justice delivery compared to earlier years.

📉 Key Rankings for Jharkhand:

Police Ranking:
- 📍 2020 – 9th
- 📍 2021 – Improved to 6th
- 📍 2022 – Dropped to 11th
- 📍 2025 – 📉 Down to 12th position
Overall Justice Delivery Ranking:
- 📍 2019 – 16th
- 📍 2020 – 8th
- 📍 2022 – 7th
- 📍 2025 – 📉 Slipped to 13th

🛑 Areas of Concern:

High police vacancies remain unaddressed.
Understaffed lower courts, leading to pendency.
Prison overcrowding above national average.
Low legal aid utilization and access in rural belts.
Budget spending on police and judiciary remains inadequate.

🔑 Points to Remember:

The report is based on government data (2020–2023) and statistical analysis.
Telangana ranks 1st among large states for policing.
Kerala tops the list for overall justice delivery.
The report advocates data transparency, budget prioritization, and state-specific reforms.
Jharkhand’s poor showing indicates urgent reforms needed in police training, legal aid access, and prison conditions.

🚨 Garhwa Water Tragedy: 9 Children Drown

📰 Source: The Avenue Mail
📘 Subject: Environment & Disaster Management

Within five days, nine children drowned in Garhwa district, sparking alarm about rural safety and disaster prevention. Ursugi village alone reported four deaths in one incident.

📌 Points to Remember:

No fencing or warning signs around water bodies.
Rising child fatalities demand government response.
Local administration urged to launch awareness drives.
SDO Sanjay Kumar visited affected families.
Urgent call for water safety protocols.

📢 Tourism Boost via Social Media Influencers

📰 Source: The Avenue Mail
📘 Subject: Economy – Sustainable Development

In a forward-thinking initiative to promote eco-tourism, tribal heritage, and adventure destinations, the Jharkhand Government has launched the Tourism Influencer Engagement Guidelines 2025. This scheme aims to rope in 50 digital content creators to showcase Jharkhand’s natural beauty and culture on platforms like Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and X (Twitter). The initiative seeks to reshape the state’s tourism image using modern digital storytelling and influencer marketing techniques.

With an annual budget of ₹2.55 crore, the Department of Tourism will compensate influencers based on reach and engagement, encouraging high-quality visual storytelling of Jharkhand’s forests, waterfalls, folk art, festivals, and tribal life.

📌 Points to Remember:

🎯 Goal: Promote Jharkhand’s destinations and traditions via influencer marketing.
💼 Categories of Influencers:
- Nano (1K–10K followers)
- Micro (10K–50K)
- Macro (50K–1L)
- Mega (1L+)
💰 Payments: ₹3–10 lakh annually based on content quality, reach, and category.
📍 Focus Areas: Netarhat, Patratu, Betla, waterfalls, tribal villages, and handicrafts.
🔁 Model: Inspired by similar programs in Rajasthan and Uttarakhand.

🕺 Dharohar Celebrates Jharkhand’s Cultural Heritage

📰 Source: The Pioneer
📘 Subject: Culture & Governance

The ‘Dharohar’ programme celebrated Jharkhand’s musical, dance, and artistic traditions in Ranchi. Discussions emphasized forming an artist academy and launching welfare policies like pensions and scholarships.

📌 Points to Remember:

Advocated protection of tribal musical instruments.
Need for state-supported artist welfare schemes.
Integration of art and political identity.
Inspired by Telangana’s cultural policy.
Promotes linguistic and artistic preservation.

🏞️ Himachal Pradesh Foundation Day at Raj Bhawan

📰 Source: The Pioneer
📘 Subject: National Unity & Culture

Under the Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat initiative, Himachal Pradesh Foundation Day was marked in Ranchi, highlighting national unity and showcasing cultural richness.

📌 Points to Remember:

Governor Gangwar praised Himachal’s development.
Focus on green energy, women empowerment.
Encouraged cross-cultural unity and tourism.
Celebrated under national integration scheme.
HP hailed as organic farming hub.

🌐 National & International Highlights

Source: The Pioneer, and The Avenue Mail,

🌦️ IMD Predicts Above-Normal Monsoon for 2025

Forecast: 105% of LPA.
Boost for kharif agriculture and inflation control.

💸 Retail Inflation Falls to 3.34%

5.5-year low in CPI; food inflation at 2.7%.
May lead to repo rate cuts by RBI.

⚖️ Sonia & Rahul Gandhi Chargesheeted

ED alleges ₹2,000 crore property scam in National Herald case.

👩‍⚖️ SC Criticizes Allahabad HC on Rape Remarks

Called remarks “insensitive and inhuman”.
Emphasizes judicial responsibility.

🌎 US: “Visa is a Privilege, Not Right”

Tighter rules amid pro-Palestinian protest crackdowns.

🏛️ SC Restricts Governor’s Delay on Bills

Time-bound decisions now mandatory under Article 201.

📉 WPI Inflation Drops to 2.05%

Aligns with retail trends, thanks to better crop yield.

🤖 IIT-Delhi & Micron Partner on AI

Focus on chip fatigue, AI reliability modeling.