CHANDIGARH, FEB 27
The Haryana Governor, Prof. Kaptan Singh Solanki, has reiterated the commitment of his government to make all-out efforts to lay the foundation for a golden future for Haryana by promoting investment, creating jobs, and making lives of the people easy and hassle-free by bringing various services right at their doorsteps with extended use of IT tools.
Delivering his Address on the opening day of the Budget Session of the state Assembly here today, Prof Solanki said 24-hour power supply, fillip to industrialisation, creation of robust infrastructure, especially roads, filling the skill gap to make the youth employable, and boosting the income of farmers would constitute the cut and thrust of the policies of his government.
Referring to the SYL, Prof Solanki said that concerted efforts made by his government had resulted in a favourable verdict from the Supreme Court of India on the Presidential Reference, which has paved the way for initiation of the long pending construction work on the remaining portion of the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal.
It is heartening that on November 28, 2016, an all-party delegation from Haryana submitted a memorandum to the President of India, seeking his intervention to ensure that our rightful and legitimate share in surplus Ravi-Beas waters was allowed to reach our parched lands and thirsty villages. “My government will earnestly keep pursuing the matter and shall do its best to protect the interests of the hard working and law abiding people of our state who have full faith in our Constitution and the judiciary”, he added.
A major project for rehabilitation of Jawaharlal Nehru Canal and its lift system costing Rs. 143 crore is in progress and is likely to be completed by the end of financial year 2017-18, the Governor said. Besides, major rehabilitation works costing about Rs 150 crore will be completed during the current financial year.
The government also plans to rehabilitate 125 channels and 400 water courses during 2017-18 and 2018-19 under State Plan and NABARD. A project for increasing the capacity of carrier system costing about Rs. 2,000 crore is being prepared to utilise surplus monsoon water in river Yamuna, which will make available about 4,000-5,000 cusecs of additional water in the WJC and JLN systems.
Referring to services to citizens, Prof Solanki said his government was already providing 281 e-services. For assessing the quality of service delivery, 67 services have been integrated with Rapid Assessment Service System of Government of India.
In order to enhance the quality and ease of access of all citizens to various development programs, services and schemes and to make their delivery harassment and corruption-free, the government has set up Haryana Governance Reforms Authority. The Authority will suggest changes in the processes, procedures, rules, regulations, design of various public services, social and economic programmes and social security schemes towards these ends and ensure that the citizens can access these in a dignified manner.
The Governor said golden jubilee of formation of Haryana offered not only an occasion to celebrate our glorious achievements, but also to consolidate our efforts to build a bright future for our citizens. “With suggestions of one and all, my government has prepared an action plan of activities, showcasing the glory of the Vedas, Gita and Upanishads, our heritage, and our giant strides in socio-economic development,” he added.
On power front, Prof. Solanki reiterated the commitment of the state government to provide 24X7 power to all, and improve the power supply position in rural areas. Panchkula has become the first district in the state to get 24-hour power supply. 24-hour power supply has already been started on 31 rural domestic feeders, out of which 10 feeders are under “Mhara-Gaon-Jagmag-Gaon” scheme.
The government has taken several steps for reducing the cost of power. Old and less efficient units of Panipat Thermal Power Station have been shut down. To ensure long-term power security of Haryana, necessary steps were being initiated to develop the 102 Million Ton-Kalyanpur-Badalpara coal mine in Jharkhand, allocated to Haryana.
To promote clean solar energy, a 10 MW solar power project was commissioned at Panipat thermal power station on November 1, 2016 by the Haryana Power Generation Corporation Limited. Initial activities for setting up of other solar power plants are also being initiated.
For further strengthening the transmission system, a plan has been prepared for creation of 77 New Sub Stations, augmentation of 347 existing Sub Stations and addition of 1730 km transmission lines in the next five years.
Referring to infrastructure, he said his government had sanctioned the highest ever amount of Rs. 1,818 crore for repair and improvement of 5,605 km of state highways, major district roads and village roads during the current year. This includes widening of 1,580 km village roads from 3.66 meter to 5.50 meter. Adoption of green technology has been initiated in road construction on a trial stretch of five km of road. Four more works have also been approved for execution under this technology.
Under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), Haryana has successfully upgraded and strengthened 4,558 km of road length and has qualified for participation in PMGSY-II programme. Under assistance from NABARD, during 2016-17, as many as 26 roads having a total length 184.7 km and three new bridge works costing Rs. 183.98 crore have been got approved, he added.
The Governor said the state government had aligned its vision with three focus areas of the Digital India Programme viz Digital Infrastructure as utility to every citizen, governance and services on demand, and digital empowerment of citizens. A new policy on electronics, information and communication sector is being formulated which would provide several incentives for IT and ITEs /BPO/electronics manufacturing and would facilitate investment by creating investor-friendly environment, providing speedy clearance and developing reliable infrastructure.
Under the National Optical Fiber Network/Bharat Net project, all gram panchayats are being connected on optical fiber for delivery of Government to Citizen (G2C) and Business to Citizen (B2C) services through Atal Seva Kendras. Till date, Optical Fiber Cable laying has been completed in 4,051 Gram Panchayats. Wi-Fi equipment has been installed at 119 Gram Panchayats/Schools.
As many as 110 locations have been identified for public wi-fi hotspots in the state. There is a plan to establish Wi-Fi connectivity in 350 villages during 2017-18. As many as 170 G2C services are being delivered through Atal Seva Kendras. In addition, 99 B2C services and 12 G2C services of Government of India are also being provided through more than 3,600 fully functional Atal Seva Kendras and 134 e-Disha Kendras.
Reiterating the commitment of his government to social welfare, Prof. Solanki said several welfare schemes had been launched for the vulnerable sections of the society. On the occasion of the launch of the Golden Jubillee celebrations, the amount of Old Age Samman Allowance, Widow and Destitute Women Pension, Disability Pension, Ladli Social Security Allowance, Eunuch Allowance, Dwarf Allowance was increased from Rs 1,400 per month to Rs 1,600 per month.
Financial assistance to destitute children has been increased from Rs. 500 per month to Rs. 700 per month. Financial assistance to non-school going disabled children has been increased from Rs. 700 to Rs. 1000 per month.
Alluding to the “Beti Bachao Beti Padhao” programme, which was launched with the objective of preventing sex selective elimination of pregnancy and ensuring survival, education and empowerment of the girl child, he said that the efforts made by the government had shown encouraging results and the sex ratio at birth in Haryana has gone up from 876 in 2015 to 900 in 2016.
The state was awarded Nari Shakti Puraskar by the Central Government in recognition of our success on this front. Yamunanagar district has been conferred the honour for its exemplary performance in the field of Girl Child Education on the National Girl Child Day by the Government of India.
Referring to the employees, he said the government had adopted recommendations of the Seventh Pay Commission on the pattern of the Central Government. The arrears of pay have also been released. Haryana has become the first state in the country to accomplish this welfare measure for its employees. The process of revision of pension to the state pensioners based on the Seventh Pay Commission recommendations, is also expected to be completed within this financial year.
On health front, the Governor said the Union Ministry of AYUSH had sanctioned an ‘All India Institute of Ayurved and Yog’ to be set up in Panchkula District at an estimated cost of Rs 500 crore. Another prestigious All-India Institute ‘Post Graduate Institute of Yoga and Naturopathy Education and Research’ is being set up in Deverkhana village, District Jhajjar, at a cost of Rs. 65.98 crore.
A proposal for setting up of a 120-bedded ‘National Research Institute in Unani Medicines’ by Government of India was also under active consideration. Large-scale up-gradation of health infrastructure and health services has been initiated. This includes up-gradation of health facilities and strengthening them with additional equipment, buildings and other resources.
The mechanism for providing free drugs and free surgeries to the patients visiting government hospitals is being further streamlined. Maternal and Child health services are also being improved. As a result of the efforts made by the government, institutional deliveries have improved considerably and Infant Mortality Rate and Maternal Mortality Ratio in the state have substantially declined.
In order to fill up vacancies of doctors, process for recruitment of 662 doctors has been initiated and a policy framework is being put in place for increasing the number of specialists in the state. Retirement age of doctors has been increased to 65 years for performing clinical duties. For strengthening infrastructure related to Food and Drug Administration, a State Drug Testing Laboratory at a cost of Rs. 28 crore is being established in Panchkula with support from Government of India.
He said that in addition to the already three functioning Government Medical Colleges, the Government had set up Kalpana Chawla Government Medical College at Karnal, which would become functional from the academic session 2017-18 with 100 MBBS seats. This would strengthen the tertiary health care in the state. The existing 300-bed hospital at Bhiwani will be upgraded to a Government Medical College at Bhiwani under Central Scheme of “Up-gradation of the General Hospitals to a Medical College”. The state government also plans to set up a Government Medical College at Jind.
The second University of Health Sciences is being set up in district Karnal. It will have all multi-specialties, super-specialties, colleges of Nursing, Physiotherapy, Skill Development Centre for Para-medical courses. The project cost is about Rs 3,000 crore and it would be completed in five to seven years.
To take care of health of people in the socio-economically backward district Nuh, the government is setting up Dental, Nursing and Physiotherapy Colleges in the Shaheed Hasan Khan Mewati Government Medical College, Nalhar. The construction of 710-bed National Cancer Institute at village Badhsa, district Jhajjar, is in full swing, and the project will be commissioned in July, 2018.
Three more Institutes of specialized health care, namely; Cardiovascular Institute, National Institute for Infectious Diseases and Paediatrics Hospital will be set up by the Central Government on the same campus. These will help the people of the state to get specialized oncological, cardiac and paediatric care.
The government is bringing out a Nursing Policy to streamline nursing education in the state. Nurses and Nurses Midwife Council is being set up for proper regulation and conduct of examinations in respect of ANM, GNM and MPHW (Male) courses. A Para Medical Board to regulate paramedical education is on the anvil, the Governor added,
To ensure better policing, the state government has initiated the process for recruitment in police after many years and 1,670 constables have already been recruited. Process for the recruitment of another 5,000 constables is scheduled to be completed soon and the process for recruitment on 5,432 posts of constables and 380 posts of sub-inspectors during the next financial year has already begun.
The Governor said to increasing the strength of women police, the state government has created 1,089 new posts. Women Police Volunteer Scheme has also been launched as a Pilot Project in the districts of Karnal and Mahendragarh. The aim of the government is to bring the strength of women police to the level of 10 per cent of the total Police force, he added.
On Panchayati Raj Institutions, he said the government planned to further empower them by building capacities and devolving functions and funds to these institutions. In the coming days, greater roles and responsibilities will be given to Zila Parishads, Panchayat Samitis and Gram Panchayats.
An innovative step has been taken to introduce three-month certificate course for Sarpanches and Gram Sachivs in self-governance with the objective of institutionalizing learning and sharing of best practices amongst the PRIs. The government has already brought in a truly transformational change by ensuring 100 per cent educated Panchayats, he added.
He said that keeping in view the supreme sacrifices of our Jawans, the ex-gratia amount for the next of kin of martyrs has been increased from Rs. 20 lakh to Rs. 50 lakh. A total number of 90 dependents of Martyrs have been provided Government Jobs since October, 2014. The Government will soon initiate a new scheme for free coaching for the dependants of Ex-servicemen, soldiers and Paramilitary Forces for various competitive and entrance examinations.
With a view to ensuring equitable development, the government is focusing on development of backward blocks through a new scheme called “Khand Utthan Yojana”, under which the most backward blocks would be identified and allocated special funds for infrastructural development.
