BJP MLA Babulal Marandi. File.
| Photo Credit: PTI
Aiming to boost Jharkhand’s industry and energy sectors, Chief Minister Hemant Soren and his wife Kalpana Soren, an MLA in the State Assembly, embarked on a nine-day trip to Sweden and Spain on Friday (April 18, 2025).
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) State president and Leader of Opposition Babulal Marandi opposed the trip at a time of law-and-order problems in Jharkhand. He also objected to Mr. Soren taking his wife on the official tour, asking why the State’s Industries Minister had been left out of the delegation.
The Jharkhand delegation will visit Barcelona and Madrid in Spain, and Gothenburg in Sweden between April 19 and 27. The delegation will meet foreign investors to tell them of the policies of the State government, and invite them to participate in mine auctions in Jharkhand.
The delegation includes Ms. Soren, who also chairs the Women and Child Welfare Committee in the Jharkhand Legislative Assembly, Chief Secretary Alka Tiwari, Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister Avinash Kumar, State Industries Secretary Arwa Rajkamal, Industries Director Sushant Gaurav, Personal Advisor to the Chief Minister Ajay Kumar Singh, and others.
Industries Minister not included
Mr. Marandi posted on X, criticising Mr. Soren’s trip. “The law and order in the State has collapsed, murders are happening in broad daylight, power crisis has deepened. Amidst all this, the Chief Minister is leaving for Sweden and Spain with a large government delegation along with his MLA wife.”
He added: “If the purpose of this trip is to bring foreign investment, then the biggest question is why the Industry Minister is not being taken along? The Secretary and Director of the Industry Department are included in this delegation, but the name of the Industry Minister is missing from the list. Does the Minister have no role in the investment talks?”
Mr. Marandi alleged that it was not the first time that Industry Minister Sanjay Prasad Yadav, an RJD leader, was being humiliated. Earlier, at an important investment meeting in Kolkata, the Industry Minister was stopped from attending the meeting, and Mr. Soren took his wife along in his place at the last minute, Mr. Marandi said.
“Hemant ji, if this trip is official, then in what capacity is Kalpana Soren attending in place of the Industry Minister? If this is a personal trip, then why is an army of officers being sent at the expense of the government treasury?” Mr. Marandi asked. He expressed his surprise that a retired Indian Foreign Service officer has also been included in the delegation.
Investment strategy
A senior official of the Industries Department said that the CM’s visit is part of the State’s comprehensive strategy to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) in dynamic sectors such as steel and metals, energy (conventional and renewable), advanced manufacturing, and infrastructure development.
Jharkhand is one of India’s most resource-rich States, and contributes significantly to the country’s industrial output, with some big names like Tata Steel, Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) and National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) active in the State.
The scheduled business forums and B2B meetings will inform Spanish companies about Jharkhand’s ambitious industrial roadmap, investor facilitation policies, and opportunities for public-private cooperation. The delegation will also hold meetings in Sweden.
Published – April 19, 2025 12:06 am IST
