Chandigarh, March 21: Haryana Chief Minister, Sh. Manohar Lal, while once again envisaging his vision of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’ and ‘Haryana Ek, Haryanvi Ek’ dedicated as many as 163 development projects worth Rs. 1411 crore to the people of all 22 districts of Haryana.
The Chief Minister while inaugurating and laying foundation stone of these projects during a state level programme held through video conferencing from Chandigarh said that these projects would ensure equitable development in 90 Assembly Constituencies of the State. State Cabinet Ministers, Union Ministers, Member Parliament, MLAs, Public representatives and Administrative officers also attended the programme from the districts.
“Since we have come to power, our strategy for implementation and development of the State is guided by principles of Antyodaya- of serving and uplifting the last person first. Unlike previous governments, who walked on the motto of regional and district-wise development, we have ensured equitable development of all the 90 Assembly Constituencies”, said Sh. Manohar Lal in his inaugural address.
The Chief Minister said that unlike previous government’s tenure where the needy persons had to run from pillar to post for getting their privileges, his government is committed to ensure that benefit of every welfare scheme is provided at the doorsteps of every needy person.
The Chief Minister said that through Parivar Pehchan Patra is to make every person self-reliant by providing them first-class facilities in Health, Education, Employment along with ensuring their Security.
Sh. Manohar Lal informed that out of 60 lakh families registered under this scheme, a survey will be conducted and in the first phase in which 1 lakh families having the lowest income will be identified. Further, a plan will be prepared to make them self-employed in any field of their choice.
“Lists of employment opportunities have been prepared by all the departments so that the beneficiaries under this scheme can opt for the business opportunities as per their wish”, said the Chief Minister.
The Chief Minister said that the development projects are always approved while keeping in view demands of elected representatives or the people. Apart from this, sometimes development projects are planned without any demand, like opening a college within a radius of every 15 kilometers was a significant decision which was taken without any requirement.
“Mapping of all these colleges was done and later in the year 2019, for the first time foundation stones of as many as 22 government colleges were laid from Chandigarh.
The Chief Minister said that in the same way, the government has implemented Shivdham Yojana for construction of paved roads, boundary walls, water systems and sheds in the crematoriums. The concerned Deputy Commissioners were directed to work on this plan on a priority basis. He said that this work is almost completed and if in any district the work is pending then the Deputy Commissioners have been directed to complete the same soon.
Similarly, in this year’s budget, the State Government has decided to upgrade 100-bed District Civil Hospitals to 200 beds, he added.
“Economic use of water is the Government’s topmost priority and realizing the same in next two years will be dedicated as “WATER BIENNIAL 2021-23” of the Irrigation and Water Resources Department has been announced in the budget, asserted Sh. Manohar Lal.
The Chief Minister said that this year’s, A budget of Rs. 1,55,645 crores have been allocated to build ‘Resilient and Resurgent’ Haryana. He said that generally, about 75 percent of the budget is spent under Revenue Expenditure Head, while only 25 to 30 percent is allocated under Capital Expenditure.
“This year, marking a paradigm shift in its architecture, an untied fund of Rs. 8,585 crores as Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) has been allocated in this Budget to focus on special projects,” informed the Chief Minister.
“The government did not utilize borrowing space of around Rs 8,585 crores by adopting tough, fiscally prudent measures. Essentially, it means that we managed to maintain our borrowings around the original provisions of FRBM Act. As the Government of India has now allowed that the unutilized borrowing space can be carried over, we have decided to utilize these proceeds as per requirement around Rs. 8585 crores for the MTEF Reserve Fund,” said the Chief Minister.
He said executing various development projects by taking loans while making Budget Estimates is a universal system and for this certain economic parameters are fixed, which has to be followed by any Government. As per the provisions of the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act (FRBM), states have to limit their borrowings up to 5 percent of their GDP, while in case of Haryana, this year too, the State borrowing percentage would not exceed above 4 percent, said Sh. Manohar Lal.
“We intend to utilize the resources earmarked under the MTEF fund this year on special projects that focus on Health, Agriculture and Infrastructure. Such special projects, including expanding medical infrastructure such as upgrading district hospitals to two hundred bed facilities, establishing mother and child hospitals, biosafety labs, International Horticulture Market at Ganaur, Apple Market at Pinjore, Spices Market at Sersa (Sonipat), Micro Irrigation projects as well as signature projects such as Orbital Rail Corridor, High-speed rail connectivity between Delhi and Karnal, expanding the metro network in Gurugram and other areas and so on” informed Sh. Manohar Lal.
The Chief Minister said that generally the national highways in Haryana are always being constructed from North to South, now the government has decided that a new Panipat to Dabwali highway would be built from East to West.
On this occasion, Additional Chief Secretary, Power Department, Sh. P.K Das, Additional Chief Secretary, Public Works (B&R) and Architecture Department, Sh. Alok Nigam, Additional Chief Secretary, Public Health Engineering Department, Sh. Devender Singh, Additional Chief Secretary, Urban Local Bodies Department, Sh. S. N. Roy, Additional Chief Secretary, School Education Department, Sh. Mahavir Singh, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Sh. V. Umashankar, Principal Secretary, Archives, Archaeology and Museums Departments, Sh. Ashok Khemka, Principal Secretary, Town and Country Planning and Urban Estates Department, Sh. A.K Singh, Principal Secretary, Industries and Commerce Department, Sh. Vijayendra Kumar, Director General, Elementary Education and Secretary, School Education, Sh. Nitin Kumar Yadav and other senior officers were present.