Ranjit Singh Chautala, Minister of Power and Renewable Energy and Jails, Fisheries and Law and Legislative in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) — Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) — led coalition Government in the State, says the priority of the state government is to provide 24-hour power supply to the people and Modernisation of jails.
Chautala, the 74-year-old youngest son of former Deputy Prime Minister Devi Lal and joined the Khattar Cabinet in Haryana, contested from Rania in Sirsa district, which has been a pocket borough of the family for more than six decades. Chautala first got elected from the Rodi Assembly segment in 1987 as the Lok Dal candidate. He had then unsuccessfully contested the 2009 and 2014 Assembly elections on Congress ticket. The party denied him ticket this time. So, he fought as an Independent and won by 19,431 votes.
He was State’s Agriculture, Excise and Taxation and Law and Justice minister in the ministry headed by his father Devi Lal, popularly known as Tau, during 1987-90 had revolted in 1989 in the wake of the infamous Meham episode and when Devi Lal preferred his elder son Om Prakash Chautala over him when Devi Lal moved to Delhi.
The Independent MLA, who was in the Congress for almost three decades except for a brief stint in the BJP, virtually remained in political oblivion had held some important positions, including that of the vice-president of the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee. An independent, MLA Chautala was first of the seven Independents to extend “unconditional” support to the BJP after the Haryana electorate threw up a hung Assembly. Moreover, he seems to be enjoying a cosy relationship with Dushyant, who had touched his feet during swearing-in.
In an exclusive interview with The Pioneer, Ranjit Singh Chautala reveals his political journey and priorities as Cabinet Minister of the State. Excerpts from the interview:
What will be your first priority as a Minister?
It is a great opportunity for me to serve the people of Haryana. Lots of works are to be done in the departments allocated to me. I will try my best to live up to the expectations of the people. Ensuring delivery of services on time is my topmost priority. For this, the officers have been strictly directed to take necessary steps to bring efficiency in the system. In the next few months, people will find positive change in the power, jails and others assigned to me.
After assuming charge, I have set a two-month deadline for streamlining the functioning of the power department. All government benefits must reach the last person in the queue and I will continue to work in this direction. The power department officers have been directed to increase power supply to the agricultural fields. Apart from this, the officials have been told repair hanging electric wires and faulty electricity poles in both urban and rural areas without delay. Being a Power Minister, my priority is also to provide better power supply in rural areas along with the cities for which we have planned to set up bijli panchayats of prominent big villagers in the State
You were one of the seven Independent MLAs to extend unconditional support to the BJP after the Haryana electorate threw up a hung Assembly. You are a Cabinet Minister but your grand nephew Dushyant Chautala is senior in the Council of Ministers? Your comment
Yes, I supported the BJP to form the government in the State. I have worked with my father late Devi Lal about three decades ago. I do not foresee any problem working with Dushyant who is deputy chief minister of the State this time around. Whatsoever responsibilities is given to me by the Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, would be executed with honesty and integrity.
You won the Assembly elections this year after a long gap of around three decades. Now you are a Minister in BJP-JJP coalition government. How do you view your this new role? How has been your political journey so far?
I have been with the people throughout my political journey. Politics is a 24 hours job. I have given maximum time to public life. I believe that if your intention is good and work unbiased, people will support you and send you in the Assembly. Working for the people is my topmost priorities. I have now become a minister for the second time. I served the State as Agriculture Minister between 1987 and 1989 and worked for betterment of farmers and people at large. This is another opportunity for me to work for the people as a Minister of the State.
You were in Congress for almost three decades except for a brief stint in the BJP. You contested Assembly election and won as an independent. Why did you choose BJP though you had an option of supporting your old party Congress after Haryana got a fractured mandate, resulting in a hung Assembly?
I have nothing much to say on this. The chapter is closed. It is true that I was in Congress party for long time but everyone knows I contested the Assembly election as an independent. I had sought ticket but was denied and won due to the support of the people as an independent. I met senior BJP leaders and supported the party to form the government in the State.
Opposition has been raising the issue of power cut for many hours in rural areas. It is one of the major problems being faced by the people of the State. After becoming a Minister, what are the steps you have taken to redress this issue?
A series of measures have been taken to improve electricity supply-related services ever since I have taken over. Our priority is to give 24-hour power supply in villages. The solar power panels would be set up in sparsely populated areas in Sirsa, Fatehabad and Hisar. Apart from this, I have also directed the department officials to explore the possibilities of setting up a biomass project in Jeevan Nagar of district Sirsa. Moreover, I have given stern guidelines to superintending engineers across the State to take lapses in response to consumer complaints seriously and order immediate suspension of officials found guilty of dereliction duty. If you have a power breakdown or any other electricity supply-related issue in any part of Haryana and you contact the call centres of the power utilities, you can be sure that your problems will be resolved in less than three hours. The response time for all calls made to the call centres of power distribution companies - Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (UHBVN) and Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN) has come down from 3.47 hours to 2.49 hours in the past 40 days ever since the present BJP-JJP government has come to power. The government plans to cut this response time to less than two hours in the next few months. Moreover, we have started collecting inputs from all stakeholders across the State on whether billing cycle of electricity supply to residential and non-domestic areas be switched to monthly basis from the present once in two months.
You are one the senior most politicians in the Council of Ministers of the new Government. People have huge expectations from you. What is your plan to address people’s concerns?
Many people have approached me with a request to make the billing cycle monthly as it is easier to pay every month rather than paying for two months at a time. There are some others who see no problem with the present billing cycle. We will gather views of all concerned and discuss the issue with Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar before taking any decision. On being informed that the monthly billing cycle had once been tried and rejected as it involved more people for meter reading and distribution of bills I would look into this aspect. Electricity meter is always played mischief with. This must end. We will work to ensure improved power supply and availability to every sector. We will tackle this on priority
You have been given another important portfolio of Jail. What do you have plans for jails?
Modernisation of all jails of the State is my dream project. There are many States of the Country where jails have been modernised. The officers have been asked to visit various jails of the country to study the measures being taken to improve the infrastructures and facilities there. It is said that jails in Australia are modernised on all fronts. We will also study jails of Australia and European nations. Based on study reports, jails of Haryana will be modernised. Moreover, discipline must be maintained in jails and there will be no comprise on this. Strict action will be taken against jail staffs if they indulge in corrupt practices and violate norms.
From time to time, there has been report of use of mobile phones by inmates in jails of Haryana. Your comment
I have strictly directed the jail superintendents to take appropriate steps in this direction. I too will inspect jails of State from time to time. I would like to make separate barracks for those inmates who are hardcore criminals and those are languishing in jail after committing minor offenses.
You hold regular meeting with the department officials. What do you instruct them?
I chalked out plan after meeting with the officers and deploy their expertise effectively. All stakeholders need to feel important and valued for the State to really make a mark. I have directed the officials to implement the schemes with the best practices. The officers of all departments should mutually work and focus on resolving the problems of people on a priority basis. Instructions have also been given to the officers to ensure that all the power-related complaints are taken seriously and the grievances of the people are to be heard carefully apart from taking necessary actions. No officer or employee will be harassed unnecessarily and if anyone has any problem, they can come and meet me directly at any time. However, no laxity in work will be tolerated. The officers doing good work will also be encouraged.
You heard the grievances of the people at your native place in Sirsa, Power department Guest House and your office at Secretariat. What are the issues people putting before you during public hearing?
I heard the grievances of people belonging to various parts of Sirsa district and the State. Issues raised by the people are forwarded to the department concerned with the direction to the officials to resolve the grievances immediately. I have directed the officials of the concerned departments to take immediate action while dealing with the complaints related to water, electricity, medical, education, and roads. I also directed the officers to ensure that each person in the State should get the benefits of the development works, various welfare schemes, and facilities being given by the State Government. The Haryana Government with the spirit of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas and Sabka Vishwas, is carrying various development works without any discrimination.
You must have made promises during elections for your constituency people. What are priorities for your constituency?
I thank people of my constituency for showing faith and electing me for the second time. The officers will be directed to speed up the completion of the ongoing development works for the betterment of the people. We have taken slew of measures to redress the concerns of my constituency people. We adopt holistic approach to facilitate the people of the State. So far, we have enhanced power supply for agricultural purposes from eight hours to 10 hours.
Your Government is struggling to stop stubble burning through several measures have been taken. Please share your ideas to stop stubble burning?
We are concerned over this issue. Awareness is being spread among the farmers. Moreover, to put check on stubble burning around 50 lakh tonnes of paddy stubble will be used for producing electricity from next year. We will lead the country in this aspect. An agreement has been signed with Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) for setting up a Compressed Biogas (CBG) plant in the state for disposal of Stubble. About 24 lakh metric tons of stubble will be consumed in 200 projects for the production of 1000 TDP CGB. 24 firms have given a proposal for 38 project to set up a CBG plant of 234 tonnes per day capacity in Haryana. Apart from this, stubble will also be used in thermal plants. About 50 to 55 lakh tonnes of stubble are produced in the State every year. For its disposal, several ambitious projects are being started in the State, in which about 40 lakh tonnes of stubble will be consumed.