The Manohar lal Khattar Government in Haryana will soon enact a stringent law to punish those found abandoning their cows in the State.
Chief Minister Manohar lal Khattar on Sunday said the State Government has already enacted the “Gauvansh Sanrakshan and Gausamvard-han” Act for the protection of cows. While continuing its drive to protect the cows, the Government will soon enact a stringent law to punish those found abandoning their milch cows, said he while addressing mediapersons.
On the steps taken to make Haryana, a stray cattle-free State, the Chief Minister said, “The Government has tagged cattle in the gaushalas as it will help in knowing their location. Tagging of cattle kept in the houses will also be carried out so that these are not abandoned in any situation.”
While seeking the support of the people in effective implementation of the drive to protect the livestock, the Chief Minister appealed to them not to abandon their cattle and keep them in their houses as it was not easy for the Government alone to protect them.
Those found abandoning their cattle, a fine of Rs 5,000 would be imposed, he added.
Notably, Haryana Government had last year announced to make the state stray cattle-free. Following its campaign to achieve the target, the cow shelters in the State have either filled to capacity or become overcrowded.
The BJP-led Haryana Government had imposed a ban on beef in 2015, followed by a ban on cow slaughter in the State.
From setting up of creches for cows to sterilising and rounding up stray bulls, setting up an e-portal for livestock, setting up gaushalas, announcing a cattle insurance scheme and even appointing a senior police officer to exclusively monitor smuggling of cows in the state — the BJP Government in Haryana has done it all.
Haryana Assembly polls on time
The Chief Minister confirmed that the next State Assembly elections will be held on time and not simultaneously with the lok Sabha elections.
He was asked to comment on the possibility of holding the Assembly and the lok Sabha elections simultaneously in 2019. He said although Prime Minister Narendra Modi had proposed “one nation-one election” concept in an all-party meet, which he also supported, yet this concept cannot be implemented unless all political parties reach a consensus.
“This being a hot topic is discussed by intellectuals, stakeholders and could be implemented near 2024 and not in 2019. Holding elections to the lok Sabha and the legislative Assemblies simultaneous will require constitutional amendments and changes and this requires time,” the Chief Minister said.
Earlier, Khattar had indicated that Haryana could go in for simultaneous assembly polls with the lok Sabha elections.
Khattar has been heading the first BJP Government in Haryana since October 26, 2014. The Assembly elections in the State are due in October 2019, around six months after the scheduled time of the lok Sabha polls.
Commenting on election results, the Chief Minister said that with the results of assembly elections to three States in North-East, the BJP has expanded its reach, but the Congress seems to have touched the lowest ebb. As compared to the BJP, no political party has ever gained so much influence among the masses during last 70 years, he added.
Khattar also claimed that the Congress will face further rout when elections will be held in Karnataka.
Employment provided to 2.03 lakh in private sector
A day ahead of the beginning of the Haryana Assembly’s Budget Session, Manohar lal said over 2 lakh people have been provided jobs during the tenure of his Government.
The Chief Minister’s claim comes at a time when the Opposition Congress and the Indian National lok Dal (INlD) are all set to corner the ruling BJP Government in Haryana for “failing” to fulfil its promises made during the 2014 election campaign.
During the last three-and-a-half years, employment had been provided to 2.03 lakh people in the private sector, including 1.24 lakh in Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, said Manohar lal.
Apart from this, investment of Rs 45,000 crore has been made and as a result of the MoUs inked during the Happening Haryana Summit, as many as 136 projects have already been set up with investment of Rs 18,000 crore, he said.
The Chief Minister added out of the total target of 2.27 lakh, 1.17 lakh youth had been trained in different sectors, and, out of these, 37,134 had been placed in keeping with their specific areas of skilling.
Result of the recruitment to about 28,000 posts is pending due to litigation in courts out of the 55,000 posts in various categories advertised by the Haryana Public Services Commission and State Staff Selection Commission since October, 2014, he said.
Don’t politicise SYl canal issue
Ahead of the INlD’s rally in Delhi on March 7 to press the Central Government for completion of the SYl canal, Manohar lal said we must move forward on the construction of the Sutlej-Yamuna-link (SYl) Canal rather than politicise the issue.
“As we are governed by the Constitution, we must abide by it. We have full faith in the judiciary and would get our due share in the river waters through the SYl,” he added.
lashing out at the Opposition, he said that the political parties in the State had always politicised the issue of SYl canal for their petty interests and they are at it again.
They know very well that Presidential reference had been lying pending in the Supreme Court for 12 long years and it is the present State Government that strongly pleaded the case in the Supreme Court and ensured early hearing, he added.
Referring to the water management projects, Manohar lal said 50 to 100 new ponds would be constructed in the vicinity of the national Capital Delhi for getting the groundwater recharged.
Water has reached 293 tails out of the total 300 in the State. lift irrigation projects worth Rs 143 crore have been started in southern Haryana. Micro Irrigation Project costing Rs 24.65 crore for Har Khet Ko Pani was being implemented to benefit 4,872 acre area of 13 districts, said the Chief Minister.