Manish Kumar Grover, State Minister of Haryana with independent charge of portfolios — Cooperation, Printing and Stationery and Urban Local Bodies — says dynastic politics which was a hallmark of State politics for decades has ended now. In today’s politics, there is no substitute to development as people of every caste, community and religion want development to raise their living standards. The Governments who perform will retain power, he said, adding as far as BJP-led State Government in Haryana is concerned all-round development has taken place. No allegations have been raised of corruption and regionalism under BJP-ruled State Government led by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar.
The Minister said about 28,000 cooperative societies in Haryana are helping 50 lakh members directly while almost all the people in the State in some way or the other. The cooperation movement has made significant contribution in the socio-economic development of the state.
Grover, who defeated former Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda’s confidant Bharat Bhushan Batra by a margin of 11,132 votes to win the Rohtak seat, is considered close to the Chief Minister.
In an exclusive interview with The Pioneer, Grover reveals his major work and achievements as a Minister in the State. He also reveals his political journey as well as his strategy for the upcoming Assembly polls. Excerpts from the interview:
Haryana has witnessed dynastic politics for decades. How is your Government different from previous Governments?
In today’s politics, there is no substitute to development. The Governments that perform will retain power. In democracy there is nothing impossible. People will end dynastic politics through votes. Development in the State was earlier adversely affected due to dynastic politics, regionalism, nepotism and corruption. Previous Governments were involved in corruption and nepotism. However, our Government has successfully conducted free and fair recruitment in Government jobs. Not a single case of corruption has been reported so far.
As you claim all round development has been taken place so why do you need centre’s leadership to seek vote in the upcoming Assembly polls? Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Rohtak on September 8. How is your preparation? Are you confident of winning your election from Rohtak Constituency?
Our party has focused on development only in five years. We would definitely seek help of Central leadership. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India is moving fast in all spheres. Image of the country has enhanced at world level. We all party leaders and workers are working hard on the ground to make PM Modi’s rally in Rohtak on September 8 successful. The Prime Minister’s rally will be historic in Rohtak. Lakhs of people of the State will attend the rally. The rally will strengthen the party at the booth level. This rally will attract youth and energise workers. Recently, Union Home Minister and BJP president Amit Shah had addressed a public rally in Jind on August 16.
Moreover, unfortunately, the Opposition leaders are fighting themselves over leadership issue. Opposition parties are completely divided. Based on performance of the party in five years, I am confident of winning election from my constituency and party would successfully win 75+ seats in the upcoming Assembly election.
It was party’s manifesto to scrap Article 370 from Jammu & Kashmir. Party at the Centre got full majority and scrapped the Article 370. This has nothing to do with the Assembly election of Haryana. The party will go to the people under the visionary leader Manohar Lal Khattar with only agenda of development in the upcoming Assembly election.
When you had thought of joining politics? How has been your political journey so far?
I was born in June 24, 1951. Since my school days, I was inclined to Jan Sangh and joined it in 1971. In my initial political journey, I had worked as booth level worker. In 1987, I successfully contested the Municipal Corporation election from Ghani Pura, Rohtak. I was made general secretary Mandal Rohtak in 1991 while district general secretary of Rohtak-Jhajjar in 1994. I was elected president of Mandal Rohtak Vidhan Sabha in 2000; district President of Rohtak in 2004; member of State BJP unit in 2006; secretary of State BJP unit in 2008; vice-president of State BJP unit in 2011; general secretary of Haryana BJP in 2013. I contest elections on BJP ticket in 2000, 2005, 2009 and 2014 Assembly elections but only 2014, I won the election by 11,132 votes. I assumed charge of State Minister on December 18, 2018.
You are a senior politician of the State. How do you see Haryana politics?
People of the State will reject family politics. Dynastic politics which was witnessed for decades will end now. People now need development. They will no longer influence by caste or religion or region. Some of the leaders had cheated the people of the state in the name of caste and region. Our party believes in ‘Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas and Sabka Viswas’ and we are implementing it. In the upcoming Assembly election, family politics will end in the State.
How have the people of the State benefited from Cooperatives?
About 28,000 cooperative societies in Haryana are helping 50 lakh members directly while almost all the people in the State in some way or the other. The cooperation movement has made significant contribution in the socio-economic development of the state. 19 mobile banking vans were launched in the state, which is providing banking related services to the villagers at their doorstep. E-commerce website was launched for online sale of Vita milk and milk products. About 75 per cent of the various classes including farmers and labourers from across the State are associated with cooperation and the cooperative societies being run by their members are the democratic institutions.
Haryana State Cooperative Labour and Construction Federation Limited protect the rights of labourers and constitute their committees. Till March 2019, 8,040 cooperative labour and construction committees have been constituted in the state. Milk cooperative societies are working well in Haryana. Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Pashudhan Bima Yojana was launched to provide socio-economic protection to the cattle rearers in the State.
What work has your Government done for farmers?
Our Government is grateful to the Centre Government and to the Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare for giving sanction to implement the Price Support Scheme for the mustard seed during the marketing season 2018-19. State Government has already made all necessary arrangements for the procurement of the mustard seed this year and the procurement has already started. Last year, the procurement began on April 8 and approximately 37,000 metric tonnes of mustard seed was procured during the season. The procurement of mustard seed has started much early during the current marketing season and it is expected that the quantity of procurement would also be more than the last year’s procurement.
The procurement of mustard seed was being made from 29 purchase centres in 11 districts in the State against 13 purchase centres during RMS 2017-18. Farmers have been appealed to bring their produce after proper cleaning and drying up to the moisture level of eight per cent as per the Fair Average Quality (FAQ) specifications so as to avoid inconvenience to them. Government intervention was likely to benefit farmers to a great extent because the Minimum Support Price for FAQ mustard seed is Rs 4,000 per quintal, which is much higher than the ruling market price of the commodity. The procurement would be made directly from the farmers through the shops of Cooperative Marketing Societies and payment to the farmers would also be immediately transferred electronically through RTGS/NEFT. The entire procurement operations by HAFED are being completed most efficiently in the best interest of the farmers of the State.
How many cooperative societies are registered?
All cooperative societies in the State had been directed to upload their record/information on the web portal of the department in August itself. As many as 18,200 cooperative societies are registered in the State and 10,500 among them are functioning at present. The aim behind uploading the entire information about the societies is to bring transparency in the functioning of the department and societies, besides preventing the possibility of any sort of dispute. The user and password have been issued to the societies. They have been asked to upload information like name, registration number and date, date of general body meetings and date of the last audit. The societies had also been asked to upload other information like the election of office-bearers and their name, date of land allotment and possession, approval of building plan and liabilities of the society. After the process, anyone who wants to buy plot and flat in the societies will be able to get the entire information about them by visiting the website of the department.
What are the developmental works you have done for your constituency?
I have worked to make Rohtak district clean and beautiful. Funds have not been made constraint in projects pertaining to development, cleanliness and beautification of the town.
I have improved traffic system in Rohtak. People were facing huge traffic problem in the city. In many times, it was witnessed that emergence service like ambulance was stuck in traffic jams. Several steps were taken to improve traffic system in Rohtak city and neighbouring districts like Bhiwani and Hisar. I live with the people of the constituency and am always available for them. All round development has been taken place in my constituency.
Are you satisfied with the works done by your Government in five years?
Yes, I am satisfied with works done by the BJP-led Government in five years. Most of the party’s election manifesto of 2014 has been completed. Schemes like ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ empowerment of panchayats finically, ‘Padha Likha Panchayat’ among others have been effectively executed. Issues which will be included BJP’s vision document will also be implemented transparently and effectively after forming next Government.
Opposition parties say your Government has failed to provide job to unemployed youth.
I will not comment what Opposition leaders say. The leaders of Opposition parties are divided and are fighting themselves over leadership issue. They have failed to raise a single issue concerning to the people of the State. Moreover, if you study the data of the last five years then you will find that our Government has succeeded in providing job to the youths. The BJP has started a vision document drive. We will make Haryana exactly as the people of the State want. The party will prepare its manifesto for the Assembly elections on the basis of people’s expectations.