By Kavita Mistry 
The Jharkhand government on Tuesday decided to increase VAT (value-added tax) on aviation turbine fuel (ATF) to 12 per cent from four per cent. It also decided to reduce VAT on bulk purchase of high-speed diesel for mining and industrial activities to 15 per cent from 22 per cent or INR 12.5 per litre, whichever is higher.
The decision was taken during a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Hemant Soren.
‘The Cabinet has given its approval to the amendment in the VAT rate for aviation turbine fuel to 12 per cent from four per cent,’ Cabinet Secretary Vandana Dadel said while briefing media persons.
A high-level delegation headed by the chief minister will soon visit Spain and Sweden to attract investors and encourage industrial investment in Jharkhand.
The Cabinet approved the expenses associated with the visit, she said.
Altogether 14 proposals were cleared by the cabinet, including approval of the Jharkhand Grassroots Innovation Internship Scheme.
As many as 17,380 students will be part of the internship programme every year, and a stipend of Rs 10,000 will be given to each student during the training programme, the official said.
‘The internship programme will be organised preferably during the summer vacation. Four interns will be sent to one panchayat. They will learn grassroots-level traditional, contemporary and modern practices, technology and others. They will also identify problem areas and needs of society during the internship,’ Dadel said.
The Cabinet also approved creating 1,373 posts to recruit secondary teachers.
