Chandigarh, Feb 20 (PTI) Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatreya on Tuesday said the state government deeply values the hard work of the farmers and is steadfastly dedicated to their welfare.
Dattatreya said the government is tirelessly working for the all-round, all-encompassing and inclusive development of the state based on education, health, security, self-reliance, self respect, service and good governance.
Addressing the Haryana Assembly on the first day of the budget session, he said the government has always given top priority to the welfare and upliftment of the poor, farmers, youth and women.
“Under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana, an amount of Rs 4,157.73 crore has been directly deposited into the accounts of 19.94 lakh farmers of the state in the last four years,” the governor said.
In addition, the state government has set a unique example by purchasing 14 crops at the minimum support price (MSP), he added.
“A sum of Rs 90,000 crore has been directly deposited into the accounts of the farmers registered on the ‘Meri Fasal Mera Byora’ portal while Rs 836.12 crore has been deposited into the bank accounts of the bajra producing farmers under the “Bhavantar Bharpai Yojana,” he said.
Dattatreya said the state government has “acted as a shield for the farmers during natural disasters”.
Under the Prime Minister Crop Insurance Scheme, claims worth about Rs 8,178 crore have been given to 32.06 lakh farmers whose crops were damaged, he said.
He said the the government has implemented the natural farming scheme to protect soil health from degradation and discourage the use of hazardous pesticides.
Under the ‘Mera Pani-Meri Virasat’ scheme, a financial assistance of about Rs 117.22 crore has been provided at the rate of Rs 7,000 per acre for sowing alternative crops instead of paddy across 1.72 thousand acres of land, he said.
The governor said the farmers, who repay their loans on time, have been granted the facility of interest-free crop loans.
Commenting on the stubble burning issue, Dattatreya said the state government has notified the Haryana Ex-Situ Management of Paddy Straw Policy, 2023, to make stubble a source of income for the farmers and to protect the environment.
The governor said this policy will focus on increasing private investment in straw-based projects and ensuring the use of straw by incentivizing the farmers.
The target is to eliminate the problem of crop residue burning by 2027 under this policy, he added.
Touching upon the Ram temple issue, the governor said he expresses profound gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who served as the harbinger of this milestone for the nation.
“By realising the dream of constructing the temple of Lord Shri Ram, he has fulfilled the hopes of millions of Indians and fortified their faith. This temple (in Ayodhya) stands as the matchless symbol of our nation’s social, cultural, and philosophical heritage,” Dattatreya said.
“The spirit of Ram prevails every corner of our country along with a sense of devotion, strength, pride and glory. I extend my heartiest congratulations to the people of the state for this sacred achievement earned after a wait of about 500 years,” he added.
Commenting on the progress made by the state in various fields, he said, “Whether it is the per capita income, industrial development, social security, public welfare or innovation in agriculture, Haryana’s strong presence is visible on the national canvas.” “Our agrarian state is forging ahead on the path of progress at full speed, riding the chariot of science and technology,” he added.
The philosophy of ‘Antyodaya’ of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay is guiding us like beacons on the path of systemic change, he said.
The governor said the administration has embraced e-governance, minimizing human intervention in the delivery of services.
“Leveraging technology, my government has made government services readily available by empowering individuals and streamlining processes. These bold steps of good governance are creating a brighter picture of Haryana and its citizens,” he said.
On the state government’s flagship ‘Parivar Pehchan Patra’ family ID scheme, he said the government has gone beyond the individual identity card ‘Aadhaar’ and made a system of identification of the family in the form of ‘Parivar Pehchan Patra’, making it a medium to deliver benefits of government schemes to every family.
So far, 2.85 crore members of about 71.42 lakh families have been registered on ‘Parivar Pehchan Patra’, he added.
Dattatreya further said the government has launched a strong campaign against corruption.
In 2023, the Anti-Corruption Bureau registered 205 cases, conducted 152 raids and arrested 186 government employees, including 30 gazetted officers, 156 non-gazetted officers and 40 private persons, he said.
The governor said the government is making efforts to increase the number of women police personnel in the Haryana Police from 10 to 15 per cent.
He said the government is committed to guaranteeing equal opportunities for all classes and individuals in Haryana, rising above the narrow-mindedness of region, caste, religion and gender. PTI SUN VSD AS AS
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