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E-tendering to help crush corruption: Haryana CM Khattar
Addressing people on the second day of his ‘Jan Samvad’ programme in Bhiwani’s Bawani Khera, Haryana CM Khattar said earlier people used to spend ₹50 lakh to win the sarpanch election and even they earn more than this amount by indulging in various corrupt activities.
Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Monday asserted that his government has taken a public welfare decision by bringing in an e-tendering process to carry out developmental works in villages and this would be helpful in reducing corruption in panchayats.
Addressing people on the second day of his ‘Jan Samvad’ programme in Bhiwani’s Bawani Khera, Khattar said earlier people used to spend ₹50 lakh to win the sarpanch election and even they earn more than this amount by indulging in various corrupt activities.
“We had brought an e-tendering system to block all these ways of earning illegal money. Few sarpanches are protesting against this decision for the last four months,” he said, adding that people applauded his decision of bringing an e-tendering system in panchayats.
The chief minister has faced queries of crop compensation, Haryana police aspirants (2,087) waiting to join their service as court has put a stay on their joining, problems in Parivar Pehchan Patra, elderly people’s pension snapped due to various reasons and youths demand to intensify recruitment drives.
He also assured farmers of relief for the damage to rabi crops, particularly wheat, due to the unseasonal rain accompanied by strong winds and hailstorms and said that a special survey (girdawari) is on to assess the damage to the crops in the harvest season.
Interacting with farmers at Tigrana village in Bawani Khera constituency of Bhiwani district after inspecting the crop damage, Khattar said: “The government stands with farmers in every situation. The compensation for damaged crops will be provided in May after the girdawari.”
He said insurance companies will compensate growers whose crops are registered under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, while the state government will provide relief to the rest of the farmers.
The chief minister said Covid-19 pandemic had wasted two years and everything was brought to a standstill.
Tells officials to complete street connecting boxing champ Nitu’s house
Khattar along with agriculture minister JP Dalal visited the house of world boxing championship gold medallist Nitu Ghanghas at Dhanana village in Bhiwani and exchanged sweets with her and her family. On Nitu’s demand, the chief minister has directed the officials to complete the street connecting her house. The villagers of Dhanana have requested the chief minister to shift a liquor vend 2 km outside the village and the CM instantly asked the officials to do so.
CM withdraws comment on HC judge
Khattar withdrew his remark on a judge of the Punjab and Haryana high court and tendered apology after it stirred a political row in the state.
Talking to a regional Hindi news channel in Bhiwani, Khattar said it was an unnatural comment and it should not have been made.
“I respect the courts of law. It was a question regarding an inordinate delay. An examination took place and the result was also announced but a stay was imposed by the court. Thus, an unnatural comment came out that I feel should not have been made. Even if a thing might have reached a particular judge, I withdraw my words. But I believe that thousands of people are affected due to this delay and they are not getting adequate time for their training. In yesterday’s public meeting, all such people who could not join their jobs also came. Thus, an unnatural comment was made by me for which I regret,” Khattar added.
Hooda calls ’Jan Samvad’ a ‘political stunt’
“Elections ke nazdeek gaon yaad aa gaye unko... nau saal sote raho, phir gaon yaad karo... (The state government kept sleeping for nine years and now they are remembering the villages when elections are approaching),” Hooda, the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader, said, pointing out that every section of the society is “disenchanted with the policies and programmes of the state government”.
“People of Haryana are waiting for the opportunity to teach a lesson to this government which has been making life of common people difficult. if the response of the public to Congress programmes is of any indication, the Congress in Haryana will make a comeback in elections due next year,” Hooda said, accusing the state government of giving misleading statements about “mounting debt” of Haryana.
Hooda, who is Leader of Opposition, alleged that the BJP-JJP government has been presenting misleading figures regarding the debt “so that the public does not get to know the real situation”. Stating that Haryana is in a “debt trap”, Hooda said there is a huge difference in the debt related figures presented by the government in the assembly.
Thought recently chief minister Khattar had charged Hooda with presenting wrong debt figures, the Congress leader said he stands firm on his point even today.
“The state has a debt of more than ₹4 lakh crore, including internal debt and all liabilities....” he stated, demanding that the government should issue a white paper on debt and overall fiscal situation.
“But the state government has been shying away from issuing a white paper because they know they will be exposed,” Hooda said, pointing out that the debt figures of the state are worrying .
“Haryana is heading towards a debt trap of the size and scale of Punjab,” Hooda said.