Farmers Movement Archive

Project opening, stone-laying-spree marks year of Haryana’s BJP-JJP govt

Grappling with the Covid-19 pandemic that had hit when the Manohar Lal Khattar-led BJP-JJP coalition regime was struggling to take-off four months after assuming office, Haryana government on Tuesday marked one year in office by inaugurating and laying foundation stones of 306 developmental projects. In what was a less than 10-minute oath ceremony held at Haryana Raj Bhawan, Khattar was sworn in as CM on October 27, 2019, on a public holiday on account of Diwali for a second successive term as the Haryana chief minister. Dushyant Chautala of Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) was sworn in as the deputy chief minister. The BJP had entered into a post-poll alliance with Dushyant’s JJP having 10 MLAs to form the government after the saffron party won 40 seats in the October 2019 assembly elections and was short of a simple majority in the 90-member Vidhan Sabha. Even after one year the fate of the much-talked about common minimum programme (CMP) for which the JJP had been pushing is still unknown. A committee was set up to give final shape to the CMP that is yet to see the light of the day. Meanwhile, the state government held functions at district level, while chief minister Khattar along with his deputy CM attended a state-level function in Hisar where a ‘bhoomi pujan’ ceremony was held for the expansion of Hisar airport runway. Coinciding with the importance of the occasion, the government on Tuesday resorted to inauguration and foundation stone-laying spree. As per the claims of the government, as many as 306 projects worth ₹1,848 crore across 21 districts of the state were either inaugurated or foundation stones were laid. “While 140 projects completed at a cost of Rs 889 crore were inaugurated, the foundation stone was laid for 166 projects worth Rs 959 crore,” an official spokesperson said. In his address, Khattar took digs at opposition parties for their remarks over the fate of BJP-JJP government in the state. “The leaders of Congress party had been issuing statements that BJP-JJP coalition government would collapse within three or six months. Nowadays, they are saying that the government would fall after the Baroda by-elections. I would like to thank the Congress party for making such remarks as they help us to remain more cautious while running the government,” Khatttar said, pointing out that such statements put a question mark on the credibility of the Congress party. The CM said Hisar airport will be developed to enable it handle international flights. Deputy CM Chautala was among other dignitaries present on this occasion at Hisar, while the ministers, MPs, MLAs and other prominent people joined the programme in the 20 other districts through video-conferencing. On the recent farm laws introduced by the Centre, he said the Congress has been misguiding the farmers. “The farmers are innocent, but no one can deceive them,” Khattar said. Key decisions Parivar Pehchan Patra ‘Housing for all’ department Foreign cooperation department Citizen resources information department, and constitution of MSME department Every village to have a website 24-hour electricity for 4,755 villages out of 6,700 ₹1,700-crore plan sent to Centre to install 50,000 solar pumps In 6 years, 67 government colleges were opened New medical colleges being opened in Mehandragarh, Bhiwani, Gurugram, Sirsa, Kaithal and Yamunanagar

Hindustan Times

28-10-2020

Chandigarh