Vishal Kant works as an Assistant Editor with Hindustan Times. He tracks developments in Aam Aadmi Party and Delhi government. Vishal has spent about a decade covering the city politics and governance, besides writing on Delhi’s civic issues, urban transport and infrastructure.
Articles by Vishal Kant
Jharkhand: PM launches ₹24,000-cr schemes for vulnerable tribals
PM Narendra Modi launched the ₹24,000-crore Pradhan Mantri Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PM PVTG) Mission for the holistic development of primitive tribals. He also released ₹18,000 crore as part of the 15th installment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme. Additionally, he inaugurated development projects worth ₹7,200 crores for Jharkhand and launched the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra. The PM emphasized the government's commitment to social justice and the welfare of the tribal population.
Updated on Nov 15, 2023 09:13 PM IST
Vishal Kant, Ranchi
Raghubar Das’s elevation as Odisha governor settles issues within BJP in Jharkhand, say leaders
Raghubar Das, the only non-tribal chief minister in a state with over 26% tribal population, was a surprise pick for the top post in 2014. He led the BJP in the 2019 Jharkhand elections, but the party couldn’t secure a majority.
Updated on Oct 19, 2023 09:59 PM IST
Vishal Kant, Ranchi
How Raghubar Das’s elevation as Odisha guv settles BJP’s Jharkhand tussle
Former Jharkhand CM Raghubar Das's appointment as Odisha governor may settle leadership issue in favor of Jharkhand BJP unit chief Babulal Marandi, say party leaders. Das, the only non-tribal CM in a state with a large tribal population, lost his position in 2019, but continued to have influence in the state unit. Marandi is expected to play an important role in the party's return to power in 2024. Das's appointment has raised questions about his future in politics.
Updated on Oct 19, 2023 02:29 PM IST
Jharkhand cabinet approves free housing scheme for 800k poor families
The scheme, known as ‘Abuaa Awas Yojna’, would be fully funded by the state government and implemented over three financial years beginning in the current fiscal (2023-24), the officials said.
Published on Oct 18, 2023 09:50 PM IST
Vishal Kant, Ranchi
Jharkhand high court dismisses Hemant Soren’s plea challenging ED summons
Soren had challenged the summons issued by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) for questioning in connection with an ongoing money laundering probe related to an alleged land scam in Ranchi in the past two months, the first being on August 7, besides terming section 50 and section 63 of PMLA “unconstitutional”.
Published on Oct 13, 2023 09:33 PM IST
Vishal Kant, Ranchi
In setback to Hemant Soren, Jharkhand HC dismisses his plea against ED summons
The Jharkhand high court observed that the period of appearance in the ED summons has already lapsed and so, there was no merit in the case
Published on Oct 13, 2023 01:43 PM IST
Soren writes to PM for recognition of Sarna religious code
Earlier, Soren had on May 25 written to President Droupadi Murmu to assist the state gain Central approval for its proposal to include the ‘Sarna Code’ as a distinct recognised religious category.
Published on Sep 27, 2023 09:10 PM IST
Vishal Kant, Ranchi
Dumri by-election: JMM retains seat, wins by over 17k votes
Bebi Devi, a joint candidate of the ruling INDIA alliance, engaged in a direct battle with Yashoda Devi, a candidate backed by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) ally Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).She secured 100,317 votes, while Yashoda Devi received 83,614 votes.
Published on Sep 08, 2023 09:57 PM IST
Vishal Kant, Ranchi
Jharkhand opposes Centre’s move to amend coal bill
Jharkhand has forwarded its objections regarding the Coal Bearing Area (Acquisition and Development) Amendment Bill, 2023, which seeks to replace a 1957 law, officials said
Updated on Sep 06, 2023 12:48 AM IST
Vishal Kant, Ranchi
Dumri by election: High octane campaigning ends
The campaign for the Dumri assembly by election on September 5 concluded on Sunday, with supporters of the main contenders, INDIA candidate and minister Bebi Devi and AJSU Party’s Yashoda Devi, making a final push.
Updated on Sep 03, 2023 09:29 PM IST
Vishal Kant, Ranchi
Jharkhand BJP chief booked for alleged remarks against Soren family
People aware of the development said that while complaints against Marandi have been filed by different people at various police stations in different districts, police officials have confirmed that FIRs have been registered in at least two districts — Ranchi and Deoghar.
Updated on Aug 25, 2023 09:48 PM IST
Vishal Kant, Ranchi
2 FIRs against Babulal Marandi for ‘derogatory remarks’ against Soren family
A JMM worker in Ranchi district lodged the FIR against Babulal Marandi for allegedly making derogatory remarks.
Updated on Aug 25, 2023 01:39 PM IST
Jharkhand: Congress asks its ministers to hold public hearings
The central leadership of Congress has directed four party ministers in Jharkhand to hold weekly Jan Sunwai to address grievances of party workers and people in general.
Updated on Aug 22, 2023 10:01 PM IST
Vishal Kant, Ranchi
Soren rubbishes tribal land grabbing allegations by Oppn
Replying to a specific question at a function of a private news channel about his government’s initiative to return the land to tribals, Soren said several acres of land have already been returned to tribals in the state.
Updated on Aug 21, 2023 09:50 PM IST
Vishal Kant, Ranchi
Modi surname case: HC exempts Rahul from personal appearance
The case is related to an ongoing defamation case in Jharkhand capital Ranchi, filed by an advocate, Pradip Modi, against Gandhi for his “all Modis are thieves” comment at an election rally in Ranchi in 2019.
Updated on Aug 16, 2023 09:12 PM IST
Vishal Kant, Ranchi
Modi surname case: Jharkhand HC exempts Rahul Gandhi from appearing personally
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had made the remark “all Modis are thieves” at a rally on March 3, 2019. Subsequently, a defamation case was filed against him by advocate Pradeep Modi at a Ranchi court.
Updated on Aug 16, 2023 04:36 PM IST
AJSU’s Yashoda Devi named NDA candidate for Dumri assembly by-polls in Sept
Doman Singh Munda, AJSU’s central parliamentary board member, said that Devi would file her nomination on August 17, the last date for nominations. “The central parliamentary board on Sunday cleared the name of Yashoda Devi as the party candidate for Dumri. She will contest as a joint candidate of the NDA,” he added.
Updated on Aug 13, 2023 09:58 PM IST
Vishal Kant, Ranchi
Tribals should unite in struggle for rights: Jharkhand CM Soren
Speaking at the two-day Jharkhand Adivasi Festival, an event showcasing tribal culture through dance, songs, cuisine, and seminars inaugurated by Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) president Shibu Soren, the chief minister said that the time is ripe to reinterpret and document the contributions of the tribal community in nation-building and civilizational growth.
Updated on Aug 09, 2023 09:28 PM IST
Vishal Kant, Ranchi
Jharkhand assembly clears Health Science University Bill, with CM as Chancellor
Amid protests by Opposition BJP members, the assembly cleared the Jharkhand Health Science University Bill, 2023, which aims to streamline health education across different discipline and institutions and establish a specialized autonomous body.
Updated on Aug 04, 2023 09:25 PM IST
Vishal Kant, Ranchi
Jharkhand assembly: Govt, Oppn clash over drought relief
The state has recorded less than 50 per cent of monsoon rain this year, but the weather department has predicted good rain over the next one week, which could help reduce the deficiency.
Updated on Aug 02, 2023 09:21 PM IST
Vishal Kant, Ranchi
Arrested Ranchi bizman a land shark, ED tells court
Agrawal, a well-known businessman in Ranchi who owns shopping malls in the city, was arrested Monday night for alleged land scam.
Updated on Aug 01, 2023 09:15 PM IST
Vishal Kant, Ranchi
Jharkhand: Cong revokes suspension of 3 MLAs caught with cash in WB
Announcing the decision, Jharkhand Congress president Rajesh Thakur said the party has decided to revoke the suspension of Irfan Ansari, Naman Bixel Kongari and Rajesh Kacchap because “nothing came out in police investigation” and since the three legislators have “accepted their mistake and tendered apology”.
Updated on Jul 28, 2023 09:22 PM IST
Vishal Kant, Ranchi
Jharkhand cabinet nod to launch probe against 5 BJP ex-ministers
The Jharkhand cabinet on Tuesday greenlit a proposal by the state’s anti-corruption bureau to kick off a preliminary probe into a case of alleged disproportionate assets of five cabinet members in former BJP chief minister Raghubar Das’s government.
Updated on Jul 26, 2023 12:57 AM IST
Vishal Kant, Ranchi
Jharkhand: Guv returns Jain University bill to govt
Sources in the government, however, said they are still assessing why the Raj Bhawan has returned the Jain University Bill though it has cleared another private university Bill — Durga Soren University bill, 2023, brought earlier this year.
Updated on Jul 19, 2023 10:26 PM IST
Vishal Kant, Ranchi
J’khand: JMM, RJD eye more seats in LS polls
The three parties in Jharkhand had contested both Lok Sabha and assembly elections in alliance in 2019 as well. As per the seat sharing agreement, while Congress led the alliance with maximum seats to contest in Lok Sabha elections, the JMM led the alliance in the assembly polls.
Updated on Jul 17, 2023 10:04 PM IST
Vishal Kant, Ranchi
BJP picks ex-CM Marandi, its old tribal face, as new Jharkhand unit chief
Marandi, 65, who started his public life with the RSS and VHP, has the distinction of being the first chief minister of Jharkhand after it was carved out of Bihar in 2000.
Updated on Jul 04, 2023 09:45 PM IST
Vishal Kant, Ranchi
No coercive action against Rahul Gandhi: Jharkhand HC on Modi surname case
The special court hearing MP, MLA cases in Ranchi rejected Gandhi’s petition for exemption from personal appearance in the case on May 3
Updated on Jul 04, 2023 08:16 PM IST
Jharkhand’s Budha Pahad soon to become soft release centre of Palamau Tiger Reserve
Budha Pahad, the mountainous terrain once dotted by land mines installed by the Maoists, was ‘freed’ from the clutches of the extremist group in 2022 after months-long special operation by the security forces
Updated on Jul 02, 2023 04:45 PM IST
Jharkhand: 10 convicted in Tabrez mob lynching case, sentencing on July 5
24-year-old Tabrez Anasri was beaten to death for allegedly attempting burglary at a house in Dhatkidih village in the intervening night of June 17-18, 2019.
Updated on Jun 27, 2023 10:09 PM IST
Vishal Kant, Ranchi
Have support base in seven LS seats in J’khand, but open to negotiations for seat sharing, says Raja
Raja was in the state to hold consultations with his state executive about the future prospects. A delegation of the party led by Raja also met chief minister Hemant Soren on Sunday.
Updated on Jun 19, 2023 09:32 PM IST
