The Task Force on Sustainable Just Transition, in partnership with UNDP India and the Centre for Environment and Energy Development (CEED), on Wednesday released two detailed reports proposing a roadmap for Jharkhand’s economic shift away from coal dependence. The reports aim to help the state prepare for a future-ready, low-carbon economy as India moves toward its net-zero emission targets.
Workforce Diversification and Sectoral Opportunities
The first report, From Dependence to Diversification: Building a Future-Ready Workforce, prepared by UNDP-India, analysed 15 districts and identified nine key sectors including agriculture, construction, manufacturing, services, and renewable energy that could absorb the workforce currently tied to coal. The analysis focused on challenges in employment generation and mapped opportunities to ensure that workers and local communities are not left behind during the transition.
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Specific Strategy and Job Creation
The second report, Pathways of Economic Diversification in Chatra, prepared by CEED with the Task Force, detailed a blueprint for Jharkhand’s largest coal-producing district. It suggested land restoration projects and sectoral interventions that could generate over 37,000 jobs, while also reducing coal dependence and rehabilitating degraded land. CEED CEO Ramapati Kumar said that convergence between state departments and long-term planning would be crucial to convert these recommendations into actionable policies.
Towards a People Centric Transition
Task Force chairman A.K. Rastogi emphasised that the process must remain people-focused, leveraging best case studies and data-driven analysis to foster inclusive growth. “The collective effort can identify key sectors that reduce fossil-fuel reliance while building resilient livelihoods,” he said. The reports, stakeholders noted, provide a foundation for policy deliberations that can align Jharkhand’s economic future with India’s climate commitments and unlock sustainable growth across coal belt districts.
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