The Budget Session of Haryana Assembly began on Monday with Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki’s address in which he reiterated his Government’s commitment to get constructed the Sutlej Yamuna link canal.
Amid an escalating water row between Punjab and Haryana, the Governor in his address said, “The concerned efforts of State Government has resulted in a favourable verdict from Supreme Court on the Presidential Reference which has paved the way for initiation of the long pending construction work on the remaining portion of SYl canal.”
Given the ongoing political uproar over SYl canal issue in the two neighboring States, the Governor gave priority to the SYl issue taking it up in the beginning of his speech.
Ever since its creation in 1966, Haryana has been engaged in a dispute over sharing of river waters with Punjab.
The Governor, however did not make any mention of ongoing Jat agitation in the State and the controversial Hansi-Butana Canal, which was constructed to carry Haryana’s own share of Ravi-Beas waters from Bhakra Command to Western Yamuna Canal and lift Command and has not been operationalised due to the stay order granted by the Apex Court.
Both the issues were taken up by him in his previous address in Haryana Assembly.
On SYl issue, the Governor on Monday said, “My Government will earnestly keep pursuing the SYl matter and shall do its best to protect the interests of the hard working and law abiding people of our state who have full faith in our constitution and the judiciary.”
Though INlD’s much -hyped call for digging the SYl canal in Punjab ended on last Thursday without success, the party has announced to raise the SYl issue in the ongoing budget session. The Congress, on the other hand, has announced to take on the State Government on both SYl and ongoing Jat agitation issues.
Meanwhile, Haryana Governor did not read his entire address and a copy of his address was tabled in the State Assembly.
laying down the policy of Manohar lal Khattar led State Government, the Governor said that the government has decided to observe the year 2017 as “Garib Kalyan Varsh” and identified nine areas of development for focussed attention.
These are Women, Youth, Agriculture, Infrastructure, Education, Health, Culture, Rural and Urban Development. The government will mobilise necessary financial and human resources for this as it is deeply committed to improving the quality of life of the people beginning with the poorest of the poor, said he.
Stating that eight districts have been declared as Kerosene free in Haryana, Solanki said that the remaining districts will be made Kerosene free by March 31.
Govt to launch new schemes in various sectors
Haryana Government has planned to launch five new schemes to further augment our efforts towards the development of women and children in Haryana, namely Swarna Jayanti Bal-Aahar-Utpadan Kendra, Swarna Jayanti Swasth Bachpan with pilot project in District Ambala,Swarna Jayanti Nari Sanrakshan Greh, Swarna Jayanti Bal Sudhar Greh and Swarna Jayanti Mahila Puruskar Yojana.
The State Government will also initiate a new scheme for free coaching for the dependants of Ex-servicemen, soldiers and Paramilitary Forces for various competitive and entrance examinations.
With a view to ensuring equitable development, the Government will focus on development of backward blocks through a new scheme called “Khand Utthan Yojana”, under which the most backward blocks would be identified and allocated special funds for infrastructural development.
For education sector, a new scheme has been formulated wherein a panel of retired teachers will be made available to each school to be engaged for various types of temporary vacancies. For health sector, the government is drafting a Nursing Policy to streamline nursing education in the state.. A Para Medical Board to regulate paramedical education is also on the anvil.
Haryana plans to strengthen transmission system
For further strengthening the transmission system, a plan has been prepared for creation of 77 new sub stations, augmentation of 347 existing sub stations and addition of 1730 km transmission lines in the next five years.
Panchkula has become the first district in the state to get 24-hour power supply. 24-hour power supply has already been started on 31 rural domestic feeders, out of which 10 feeders are under “Mhara-Gaon-Jagmag-Gaon” scheme, said the Governor.
Govt to set up Gokul Gram
A Gokul Gram will be set up at Government livestock Farm, Hisar for quality indigenous cattle such as Hariana, Sahiwal, Tharparkar and Gir.
The Gau Sewa Ayog constituted for the welfare and upkeep of Gau vansh has also initiated the process for setting up Gau Abhyaranyas in Panipat and Hisar, which shall provide appropriate shelter, fodder and veterinary care for stray cattle.
Referring to milk production, Solanki informed that the total annual milk production for the year 2015-16 has reached 83.81 lakh tonnes, taking the per capita per day availability of milk to 835 grams, the second highest in the country.
Investments in Haryana
A total of 249 CAFs (common application form) envisaging total investment of Rs 26,679 crore and employment generation of more than 96,000 persons have been filed. Post the Happening Haryana Global Investors Summit in March last year, 406 MoUs with total investment of Rs 6.2 lakh crore and potential employment of 7.40 lakh have been signed. In 167 cases, land has been procured and the projects involving an investment of Rs 80,000 crore and potential employment of 2,50,592 persons are at various stages of implementation.
Also, Haryana has moved to sixth position from 14th position in one year in Ease of Doing Business ratings of all States and UTs of India in 2016 with first rank in North India”.
Haryana accounted for exports of nearly Rs. 81,220 crore during the year 2015-16 due to the conducive environment created by my Government’s policies and initiative, said Solanki.
He said that during 2015-16, Electronics and IT Exports from Haryana are estimated to have increased to about USD 6.8 Billion as compared to USD 6.2 Billion in 2014-15. The state currently accounts for 6.8 per cent of employment in the IT sector throughout the country. Haryana has won many awards for various e-Governance projects, he added.
GPS based transport system
GPS based Vehicle Tracking System has been introduced in 400 buses as a pilot project in Haryana. This is proposed to be introduced in all the buses of Haryana Roadways during the financial year 2017-18.During the current financial year, the government also intends to operationalise hand held Electronic Ticket Issuing Machine in all the buses of Haryana Roadways including advance booking and for issuing passes.
Govt. to bring amendments in Act
The State Government has started issuing no objection certificates (NOCs) under Section 7A of Haryana Development and Regulation of Urban Area Act, 1975 online with effect from August 2016. The data regarding notified lands has been uploaded on the government website and on the Haryana land Record Information System for increasing transparency in grant of such NOCs.
The State Government has now proposed to bring in a legislative amendment to make this regulatory regime more liberal, said the Governor.
Rural development and Panchayats
Out of the 6,205 Gram Panchayats in Haryana, 4,834 have made their development plans called ‘Hamaari Yojana Hamaara Vikas’ focussing both on infrastructure and costless development measures. As many as 1,131 Gram Sachivalayas have been set up with 679 Atal Sewa Kendras.
With ‘Garvit-Youth for Rural Development Scheme’, an active link is being established between government and people to channelize positive energies of our youth.
Saksham Yuva scheme
The “Saksham Yuva Scheme” launched to benefit the educated unemployed youth of the state has got overwhelming response from the applicants and over 18,000 applicants have registered on the web-portal online.
Under the scheme, various departments of the State Government have requisitioned Saksham Yuva for honorary work and over 3,100 youth have been deployed. About 1,000 Saksham Yuva have worked in the less-cash information and awareness generation campaign after demonetization in different districts in December, 2016 and January this year.
