Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatraya on Friday focussed on the State Government’s commitment to ‘Viksit Haryana-Viksit Bharat’ and urged all members of the Assembly to work collectively towards the state’s holistic development. Every member should remember that no obstacle hinders the fulfillment of the resolution of ‘Viksit Haryana-Viksit Bharat', he added.
Addressing the Haryana Assembly on the first day of the budget session, the Governor said that the policies of the state government are primarily focussed on the welfare of farmers by procuring all 24 crops at the Minimum Support Price (MSP). “To directly benefit farmers, Rs 1,25,000 crore has been transferred to the bank accounts of 12 lakh farmers for the purchase of crops at MSP over the last nine seasons through the e-kharid portal,” he added. Governor said due to the delayed monsoon last year, farmers had to mobilise additional resources for sowing kharif crops. “To provide relief, a bonus of Rs 1,345 crore has been granted to farmers at the rate of Rs 2,000 per acre. This is the first time that a government has provided financial assistance to farmers during the sowing time.” In the past, there were disputes between landowners and farmers regarding land possession and compensation.
He further said that it is well known that infrastructure is a key parameter for the physical and economic development of any state. He expressed the confidence that every member would make the best of every moment of time in this House and prioritize public welfare.
The State government is consistently upgrading both road and railway infrastructure to meet the growing needs of freight and passenger traffic. "It strengthens the state's economy by attracting industries and investments. Today, there is not a single district in the state that is not connected to a National Highway," Dattatreya said. He said in the last decade, 55,016 km of roads have been improved in the state at a cost of Rs 30,498 crore while 8,086 km of new roads have been constructed with an investment of Rs 4,702 crore. The construction of 87 railway over bridges, underground bridges and other bridges has been completed at Rs 1,712 crore, he said. "The government is consistently upgrading both road and railway infrastructure to meet the growing needs of freight and passenger traffic.
"On February 16, 2024, the Rohtak-Meham-Hansi railway line was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The elevated railway line project in Kurukshetra city has been successfully completed at a cost of Rs 371 crore," he added. Additionally, work on the Haryana Orbital Rail Corridor, from Prithla in Palwal to Sonipat, along with the KMP Expressway, is going on at a fast pace. The project will have an estimated cost of Rs 5,618 crore, the Governor said. The Governor also touched upon the newly established Haryana Airports Development Corporation Ltd, which he said, is driving advancements in aviation infrastructure, including maintenance, repair, and overhaul, as well as aerospace and defence manufacturing.
Hisar now hosts the state's first airport, named after Maharaja Agrasen, with domestic flights set to commence soon. Additionally, a domestic airport is under construction on 20 acres of land in Ambala, he said. The government plans to increase Haryana's state transport fleet from 4,000 to 5,300 buses.
Further, the Governor informed that electric buses will be introduced for long-distance travel in the national capital region (NCR), with city bus services already being started in Gurugram and Faridabad. In his speech, he also highlighted the role of the Mission Haryana-2047 Task Force which aims to increase the state's gross state domestic product (GSDP) to 1 trillion dollars by 2047.
He said a global city is being developed on 1,000 acres along the Dwarka Expressway in Gurugram as an industrial and business hub. Industrial model townships are being developed on 3,300 acres in Kharkhoda and 1,400 acres in Sohna. Under the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor, an 'Integrated Multi-Modal Logistics Hub' is being developed in Narnaul over an area of 887 acres at Rs 1,852 crore, he said.
Furthermore, the Governor said Maruti Suzuki India Ltd is establishing a car manufacturing plant on 800 acres at IMT Kharkhoda with an investment of Rs 18,000 crore, generating 10,000 jobs. Suzuki Motorcycle India Pvt Ltd is also developing a two-wheeler manufacturing facility on 100 acres at IMT Kharkhoda, with an investment of Rs 2,000 crore which will lead to the creation of 2,000 jobs, he said, adding that an electronics manufacturing cluster is being developed in Sohna in over 500 acres of land.
Over the last 10 years, there has been a trend of growth in the state's GSDP and per capita income, he said. "In 2023-24, the per capita income of the state has increased to Rs 3,25,759 up from Rs 1,47,382 in the year 2014-15. The GSDP for the year 2023-24 has increased to Rs 10,95,523 crore, compared to Rs 4,37,144.71 crore in the year 2014-15," he said. He acknowledged the role played by traders in the development of the state. Haryana has recorded a 28 per cent increase in GST collection, the highest among large states, he added.
On the national campaign 'Hamara Samvidhaan - Hamara Samman', Dattatreya said various programmes are being organised throughout the year in Haryana to raise awareness among the new generation about the duties and rights enshrined in the Constitution.
On law and order, the Governor claimed the situation remained peaceful and under control, with an atmosphere of communal harmony and peace prevailing. “In 2024, a total of 1,11,397 criminal cases were registered in the state, which is 16,216 less than last year. This marks a 12.7 per cent reduction in criminal cases compared to the previous year,” Dattatraya added.
Haryana Assembly pays tribute to former PM Manmohan Singh, ex-CM Chautala
The Haryana Assembly on Friday paid tributes to former prime minister Manmohan Singh, ex-chief minister O P Chautala and other prominent personalities who passed away between the end of the previous session and the beginning of the current one. On the first day of the Budget Session of the Haryana Vidhan Sabha, obituary resolutions were passed to pay tributes to these personalities.
Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, who is also the Leader of the House, paid tributes and read out the obituary resolutions. Apart from Singh and Chautala, the House paid tributes to former Haryana Minister Satpal Sangwan. Vidhan Sabha Speaker Harvinder Kalyan, Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda and INLD member Arjun Chautala also read out the obituary resolutions.
Former chief minister Hooda said Singh -- a veteran Congress leader -- was a noted economist who ushered in reforms. He recalled how Haryana got several developmental projects when Singh was the prime minister. "He had a special interest in Haryana's development," Hooda said. According to the obituary resolution passed by the House, Singh played a vital role in developing the economic liberalisation policy in the 1990s, which had a significant impact on India's economy.
The House also expressed a deep sense of sorrow on the demise of Chautala on December 20, 2024. In his death, Haryana has lost an administrator of high calibre, the House said, paying tributes to Chautala. The House conveyed its heartfelt condolences to the members of the bereaved family. The House also paid tributes to 21 brave soldiers of Haryana who showed indomitable courage and made the supreme sacrifice while safeguarding the unity and integrity of the country.