Haryana to come out with MSPs for vegetables soon, says Khattar
1,000 DAYS OF GOVT Chief minister spells out achievements of the firsttime BJP regime in Haryana; lashes out at previous INLD and Congress governments for leaving ‘pits’ to be filled by his dispensation
CHANDIGARH: Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Friday said his government will soon come out with minimum support prices (MSPs) for vegetables, to help farmers who have to sell off their produce sometimes at throwaway prices.
Interacting with mediapersons on the completion of 1,000 days of the first-time BJP government in the state, Khattar said the state government would set up a vegetable price stability fund to address seasonal price fluctuation of key perishable and non-perishable vegetables.
To a question on instances of farmers throwing vegetables such as potatoes and tomatoes on the roads, he said as perishable vegetables could not be stored for long and farmers cannot deal with this situation, it has been decided to set up the price stability fund.
The step was being seen as Khattar’s two-pronged strategy to placate farmers as well as check opposition Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) and the Congress, which have starting consolidating their base in rural areas.
Khattar also lashed out at the previous INLD and Congress governments for various “khadde”’ (pits) left to be filled by the BJP government.
He said institutions like Haryana Urban Development Authority( HUD A) and Ha ryan a State Infrastructure and Industrial Corporation (HSIIDC) had been in a mess.
“It was not for nothing that people used to call previous gov- ernments as ‘BBC’ governments — badli (transfers), bharti (recruitment) and CLU (in case of Congress government) and bapu (father), beta (son) company (INLD government),” he quipped.
On the challenges faced by his government, he said improvement in education standards is still one of the biggest challenges before the government.
“We also have challenges of power line losses, unauthorised colonies, open defecation in urban areas and revenue disputes,” he added.
Regarding his vision for development of the state, he said his government has started a scheme and initially chosen 20 highly backward blocks which will be “adequately “developed.
These blocks are Loharu, Behal, Siwani and Kairu in Bhiwani district, Badhra in Charkhi Dadri, Guhla in Kaithal, Nuh, Punhana, Taoru, Nagina and Ferozepur Zhirka in Nuh, Hathin in Palwal; Morni, Pinjore, Raipur Rani and Barwala in Panchkula; Rewari and Bawalin Rewari and Sadaura and Chhachhrauliin Yamunanagar.
Spelling out top the three top achievements of his government, Khattar said these were fair and transparent teachers’ transfer policy, fair recruitment and development in all parts of the state.
On the financial health of the state, he said it was remarkably improving as the expenditure (mainly for salaries, pensions and interests on loans) of the revenue has been brought down to 89 % as against the 102% in 2014
The state government will set up a vegetable price stability fund to address seasonal price fluctuation of key perishable and nonperishable vegetables
MANOHAR LAL KHATTAR , CM