The BJP led State Government on Thursday came under fire from the opposition parties for allegedly going out of way to please Baba Ramdev by making him the brand ambassador for promotion of Yoga and Ayurveda in Haryana.
The State Government was targeted by both Congress and INlD over the issue during the fourth day of the ongoing Budget Session of Haryana Vidhan Sabha. Heated exchanges of words were witnessed between the ruling BJP and the Congress legislators when opposition MlA from Palwal, Karan Singh Dalal, alleged that the State Government is going out of way to help Baba Ramdev.
During a discussion on the Governor’s address, Dalal while quoting a report published in a leading English daily, said that while on one hand, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had chosen Haryana to launch his ambitious plan for protection of girls, on the other hand, pharmacies allegedly owned by the State’s brand ambassador Baba Ramdev, were selling medicines which claim to help women give birth to sons.
Health Minister Anil Vij intervened while Dalal was speaking and said that while it was true that Baba Ramdev had been made the State’s brand ambassador to promote Yoga and Ayurveda, there was no truth in the allegation that his pharmacies were selling such medicines.
“So far, the terms and conditions have not been decided. Detailed memorandum of understanding is likely to be signed soon regarding making him the brand ambassador. I along with my Ayush Director had recently met Baba Ramdev and requested him to be our brand ambassador, which he agreed to. They (Congress MlAs) want to confuse everything,” added Vij.
Following this, the opposition benches continued questioning the need to make Ramdev State’s brand ambassador. Former Speaker and sitting Congress MlA, Kuldeep Sharma while taking a dig at Ramdev said, “Whether you make him brand ambassador or give him some other position, but kindly carry out auction of the ladies suit, which was worn by Baba Ramdev when he had escaped during a protest from the Ramleela Maidan in New Delhi. The Government will earn a lot of money through the auction.”
Responding to this, Education Minister Ram Bilas Sharma condemned the statement made by Kuldeep and both the legislators exchanged barbs over their educational qualifications and knowledge.
later, the Congress legislators also slammed the State Government on the deteriorating law and order situation and non-implementation of Swaminanthan report.
The ruling and opposition legislators were also engaged in a war of words regarding their awareness about agricultural issue. Ram Bilas Sharma took a jibe at Congress legislators saying that they have bookish knowledge of agriculture and have no idea about the ground realities. The Minister also suggested carrying out a competition to test the understanding of legislators regarding agricultural know-how.
later, INlD MlA Balwan Singh raised the issue of price rise, farmers' issues, and alleged deteriorating law and order situation in the State. He also demanded that the BJP Government should grant 33 per cent reservation to women in the Manohar lal Khattar Cabinet.
Plaque bearing names of former Speaker, former CM removed from Assembly
Health Minister Anil Vij on Thursday requested the Speaker to get removed the plaques bearing the names of former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, former Speaker Kuldeep Sharma, former Deputy Speaker Akaram Khan in the Assembly. His request was seconded by both BJP and INlD legislators following which it was decided to remove them from the House. During Thursday evening, the plague under the portrait of Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar and Mahatma Gandhi was removed from the Haryana Vidhan Sabha.
Prem lata Singh slammed previous Congress and INlD Govts
Union Minister Birender Singh’s wife Prem lata Singh on Thursday raised the issue of backwardness of Jind district in Haryana Assembly and urged the State Government to take steps to end years of discrimination.
The BJP MlA from Uchana Kalan segment in Jind district, during a discussion on the Governor's address said, “During the last 15 years, Jind district has been discriminated against, both during INlD time and the 10 years of Congress.”
“The area lacks a good college, there is no medical college, no university...I am hopeful that the present state government will solve all these problems as Jind has been discriminated against all these years," she added.
Taking a dig at Prem lata, the main opposition INlD MlAs reminded the BJP legislator that her husband Birender Singh, now a minister in the Narendra Modi cabinet, had been in Congress for over 40 years before he parted ways to join the BJP in August last year.
Prem lata also demanded that the Government should hire female coaches to train girl athletes and run special buses for girls.
Union Ministry accepts Haryana Govt request
“The Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has declared Kotputli-Narnaul-Mahendergarh-Dadri-Bhiwani-Hansi road as national highway on the request of Haryana Government, said Chief Minister Manohar lal during the ongoing budget session. The Chief Minister informed the House that he had earlier written a letter to Union Minister of Road, Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari requesting him to declare this road as national highway.
35,360 complaints at ‘CM window’
The “Chief Minister window” for grievance redressal has received 35360 complaints till March 10. Out of the total complaints received, 16557 have been redressed. Maximum number of 3323 complaints are received from Panipat followed by 2942 from Karnal, 2154 Bhiwani, 2143 Mahendergarh, 2002 Sirsa, 1974 Rewari, 1873 Hisar, 1756 Sonepat.
The CM window- a web based system was launched in December last. In a reply to a question, it was informed that the time frame for action taken report from the concerned department is fixed as one month. However, in respect of grievances/complaints received against a Sarpanch/Panch requiring an enquiry, time of three months is given for action taken report. The ‘CM Window' was launched at all district headquarters in December so that grievances of citizens directly reach the State Government and the public do not have to rush to Chandigarh, the State capital.
CAG finds irregularities
“The expenditure of Rs3,288.63 crore (37 per cent) in 17 major heads under 12 grants was incurred during March 2014 which shows rush of expenditure at the end of the financial year and was against the provisions of Rule 56 of the General Financial Rules, disclosed the report on state finances of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) for the year 2013-14.
The report stated, “The plan expenditure during 2013-14 was only Rs5,712.16 crore (87 percent) against the assessed amount of Rs18,000 crore. No expenditure incurred in 143 schemes with approved plan outlay of Rs1,498.43 crore and in 299 schemes expenditure of Rs3,984.63 crore was incurred against the approved outlay of Rs7,348.08 crore”.
Haryana State Government reported 137 cases of misappropriation, defalcation, etc involving Government money amounting to Rs1.58 crore on which final action was pending as of June 2014. Out of these 120 cases were more than five years old, added the report.