Hindustan Times (Patiala)

Hooda promises pay parity with Punjab to govt staff

- HT Correspond­ent letterschd@hindustant­imes.com n

ROHTAK : Former chief minister (CM) Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Sunday promised pay parity to Haryana government employees with their counterpar­ts in Punjab. At his fifth rally during the Jan Kranti Yatra in Mahendraga­rh, the former CM announced his party’s agenda if voted to power in the state next year.

“The BJP government had made a promise to bring pay parity with Punjab in their election manifesto, but like the other 154 promises made by the BJP, this one too has been thrown in the dustbin. This and other issues have broken the morale of government employees. The result is that all work has come to a grinding halt in the state,” Hooda said.

Hooda led a roadshow from the Central University on the outskirts of Mahendraga­rh to the sports stadium on the other side of the town, covering a distance of eight kms over two and a half hours. Repeating the promises made in his previous Jan Kranti Yatras, Hooda said he was committed to increasing old-age pensions in the state to ₹3,000 per month.

He also repeated his promise of a 50% cut in electricit­y prices for all segment.

Launching an attack on the BJP, Hooda said the ruling party’s politics was based on lies, divisions and loot of public money and added that causing divisions in the society is the only thing they have accomplish­ed in their four years in power. “Our unity and social harmony is our biggest strength and I appeal to all sections to defeat divisive forces by staying united,” he said.

He said he left no stone unturned to bring all-round developmen­t to southern Haryana

during his decade in office. “Mahendraga­rh and Bhiwani were added to the NCR, a central university was brought to Mahendagar­h, the Indira Gandhi University was set up in Rewari, a defence university was set up in Gurugram,” he said.

Challengin­g INLD, he asked them to list any one developmen­t in south Haryana during their rule. “INLD leaders criticise me in their meetings but never talk about their achievemen­ts because they have nothing to say,” he said.

 ?? MANOJ DHAKA/HT ?? Former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda addressing a rally at Mahendraga­rh in Haryana on Sunday.
MANOJ DHAKA/HT Former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda addressing a rally at Mahendraga­rh in Haryana on Sunday.

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