The BJP-led Haryana Government which came to power on pledges of ushering in an era of change with good governance and graft-free system, is yet to enact tough policies on law enforcement and corruption. After 100 days in power, the Manohar lal Khattar’s Government is drawing strong criticism from the Opposition with the BJP failing to fulfil its commitments that it had spelt out in its election manifesto during last year’s Assembly poll in Haryana.
While an enquiry into controversial Robert Vadra-DlF land deals is still going on with no time-frame fixed to submit a report into it, some election promises like special buses with guards for girls, free treatment to the poor among others remain “untouched” in the past three months of the first BJP Government in the State. Chief Minister Manohar lal on Tuesday during his media interaction made it clear that there are many key agendas on the priority list of State Government and the Robert Vadra-DlF land deals are not the only agenda.
“An enquiry is still going on into the land deals and action would be taken after receiving the report. Many complaints regarding the said deal are received by the Government and the authorities concerned are looking into the allegations,” said Manohar lal while dodging questions related to delay in the enquiry and demand of FIR by IAS Ashok Khemka into the incident of missing pages from the files of land deal between Congress chief Sonia Gandhi’s son-in-law Robert Vadra and DlF.
Three months into the power, Manohar lal Government got more brickbats than bouquets. From the incident of self-styled Godman Rampal, where the State police failed to arrest him for a fortnight to Government’s announcement of inclusion of Bhagwad Gita in school curriculum, controversies continued to swirl around the State. Particularly, the announcements of including Bhagwad Gita in school curriculum and making yoga compulsory in all schools of Haryana, drew criticism from some segments as both decisions were seen to have religious overtones.
Even as the Haryana Government had been projecting bringing transparency as one of its main agenda, nothing much has been done so far other than the launch of “Chief Minister window” for grievance redressal, which has received as many as 17,000 complaints, out of which reports on only 3,380 grievances have been received. Spelling out Government’s future plans, the Chief Minister said that efforts are being made to ensure benches in all schools by 2016, hundred per cent individual toilets to be constructed by 2019 and efforts are being made to provide water at the tail end.
Given the difficult task ahead, he said, “The State Government is facing a host of challenges inherited from the previous Congress Government, including corruption and poor infrastructure at grassroot levels.” listing his Government’s achievements, the Chief Minister talked about “CM window”, Haryana Police’s web portal Har Samay, facility of registration of FIRs notwithstanding jurisdiction issue, changes in recruitment rules for police, projects to improve road networks, sports policy, increase in pension benefits among others. “All accounts targeted under the Centre’s Jan Dhan Yojna have been opened and enrolment under Aadhaar would be completed by June 30, 2015 in the State, said he while adding that more initiatives would be implemented soon to ensure transparent and effective governance.
Among others, the roll back of Government employees’ retirement age from 60 to 58 years and disbanding various boards formed by previous Congress Government remained much-talked about decisions of the State Government in last three months. “After taking charge of the reins of the Government, we have been successful in achieving the targets in the field of ensuring transparency, corruption-free system, welfare of all, including farmers, labourers and development of the rural sector. The focus would continue to be on fixing the irregularities,” concluded the Chief Minister.
The Road Ahead
In line with its mandate to bring transparency in governance, Haryana Government has planned to launch e-stamping of property registration in the State and CM dashboard to facilitate monitoring of all departments online. E-auction system would be introduced for year 2015-16. To facilitate traders, C-form would also be made available online from March 2015. Apart from this, strict penalties for cow slaughter, new industrial policy, youth policy, new scheme ‘Swahprerit Adarsh Gram Yojna’ for development of villages, “State Nutrition Mission” on the pattern of National Nutrition Mission and single window system to enable approvals related to industries under one roof would be made available in the state soon.
The BJP-led State Government which would unveil its first budget in Haryana is also likely to announce new schemes, to fulfil promises made to the people in its election manifesto during last year’s Assembly polls. Blaming the previous Congress Government for leaving the State exchequer empty, the BJP Government has announced to bring out a White Paper on its financial condition before the presentation of budget for next financial year 2015-16. The Chief Minister is also likely to expand his Cabinet in the coming days.
100 days of mis-governance in Haryana: Congress
Kiran Choudhry, leader of the Congress legislature Party (ClP) in Haryana on Monday termed the 100-day-rule of BJP Government as “100 days of mis-governance, missed opportunities and irreparable alienation of the people, especially the farmers. In a statement issued here, the former Excise and Taxation Minister said that this period would be remembered for Chief Minister Manohar lal Khattar turning back on the promises made to the people, countless number of flip-flops and many a U-turn which make the BJP rule infamous. The BJP Government has been high on talk and low on walking the talk, she added.