Bokaro: A 12-day hunger strike by displaced people and trained apprentices demanding permanent jobs at Bokaro Steel Plant (BSL) has been called off following talks with the district administration on October 21. The breakthrough came after officials agreed to forward two employment proposals to the Jharkhand government and BSL management for consideration.
According to the meeting minutes issued under the chairmanship of Bokaro Deputy Commissioner Ajay Nath Jha, representatives of the displaced people’s organisation unanimously agreed to withdraw the agitation after a consensus was reached on the next steps to pursue their long-pending employment demands.
The proposals seek an employment policy for eligible members of displaced families and permanent jobs for 1,500 trained apprentices from displaced families. However, the decision marks progress towards resolving the dispute, not a final approval of appointments.
Two Job Proposals to Reach Chief Secretary Within Seven Days
Under the agreement, the first proposal calls for framing an employment policy to facilitate the permanent appointment of eligible members of families displaced during the establishment and expansion of BSL to Class IV posts at the steel plant.
The proposal will be forwarded to the Jharkhand government’s Chief Secretary through Bokaro MLA Shweta Singh, the Deputy Commissioner and the officer-in-charge of the Directorate of Land Acquisition and Rehabilitation.
The second proposal seeks permanent employment at BSL for 1,500 trained apprentices belonging to displaced families. This proposal will also be sent to the Chief Secretary through the prescribed administrative channel.
The meeting decided that both proposals would be forwarded within seven days. BSL management is also expected to submit them to the relevant senior officials of the Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) within the same timeframe.
The proposals will now require examination by the concerned authorities. No final decision on recruitment or permanent appointments has been announced.
Talks Bring Hunger Strike to an End
The October 21 meeting brought together senior district officials, Bokaro MLA Shweta Singh, the Additional Collector, the Chas Sub-Divisional Officer, police officials, representatives of the Directorate of Land Acquisition and Rehabilitation, BSL management and members of the displaced people’s organisation.
Following discussions, the participants reached a consensus on forwarding the employment proposals to the state government and the steel plant management. In response, the representatives of the protesting organisation unanimously agreed to immediately end the hunger strike and demonstrations.
The decision has eased the immediate confrontation between the protesters and the authorities, while placing responsibility on the administration and BSL management to move the employment proposals forward.
BSL Gate Blockade Had Escalated the Dispute
The hunger strike was part of a broader agitation by displaced families and trained apprentices seeking permanent employment and a clear recruitment policy at Bokaro Steel Plant.
The dispute intensified in mid-October when protesters blocked the plant’s entry and exit gates, disrupting the movement of employees and essential supplies. BSL subsequently approached the Jharkhand High Court, seeking intervention to restore access and prevent further disruption to plant operations.
On October 18, the High Court intervened during the Durga Puja holidays, following which all 11 gates of the steel plant were reopened. The district administration assured the court that necessary measures would be taken to prevent further obstruction and ensure the uninterrupted movement of employees.
The next hearing in the matter was scheduled for October 28, 2026.
The reopening of the gates on October 18 and the withdrawal of the hunger strike on October 21 were separate developments within the same employment dispute. While judicial intervention helped restore access to the plant, the subsequent administrative meeting provided a framework for taking the employment demands forward.
Displaced Families Await a Concrete Employment Policy
The latest agreement has renewed attention on the long-standing rehabilitation and employment concerns of families displaced by the Bokaro Steel Plant project. For these families, permanent jobs and clarity on employment-related commitments remain central to their demands.
The proposed policy for eligible displaced families and the demand for permanent employment for 1,500 trained apprentices could become the basis for further discussions among the Jharkhand government, the district administration, BSL and SAIL.
The immediate challenge, however, lies in translating the assurances into concrete action. The proposals must first be forwarded within the stipulated seven-day period before the relevant authorities can examine their feasibility and decide on the next course of action.
For now, the end of the 12-day hunger strike signals a temporary easing of tensions, rather than a final resolution of the dispute. Whether the breakthrough leads to a formal employment policy or permanent recruitment will depend on the response of the state government and BSL management.
