Chief minister Hemant Soren on Monday alleged that the state had been treated like a ‘grazing ground’ to extract mineral resources’ and contribute to the nation’s and world economy, but little concern had been shown for how the state’s people could become self-sufficient.Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren speaks at an event in Ranchi on Monday (HT PHOTO)Addressing a gathering after distributing appointment letters among 1,042 newly recruited teachers here at an event, the CM said teachers played a significant role in showing direction to society and building a better environment to live in.“The leading states in the country are all ahead in the education sector. We could also have progressed in the field, but unfortunately, the state has been treated as a grazing ground for extracting mineral resources to contribute to the country’s and the world’s economy. But, there has been little concern about how the people of the state could stand on their own feet,” Soren said.He said the government was making all efforts to expedite education in the state.“Now, youths of Jharkhand are pursuing higher studies not only in the best colleges of the country but also abroad. We want a knowledgeable society and educated upcoming generations,” he said.The CM said around 55,000 people received appointments during his previous term of his government, and recruitment began two months after he took the oath for his second term. Officials said they had given appointment letters to 9,812 teachers in past six months.Expressing concern over the current political scenario, Soren said, “An atmosphere is being created solely to serve political interests. This is not a healthy environment. Some forces with a twisted mindset are intent on spreading hatred and igniting fire in society, which could end up causing trouble for everyone. The fire of hatred does not discriminate based on caste or religion. It simply does its job and runs its destructive course,” the chief minister said.