HARYANA ON ROAD TO FISCAL RECOVERY, SAYS KHATTAR
Haryana is taking swift steps to recover from the corona-induced fiscal crisis. In an interview to Hindustan Times, chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar says the pandemic won’t have an impact on state’s welfare schemes.
The coronavirus pandemic has been keeping Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar busy for last four months. From steering a recovery from the fiscal crisis to shaping strategy to check the spread of contagion, addressing the concerns of the industry and working out the contours of an anti- religious conversion law, Khattar spoke to Executive Editor Ramesh Vinayak
and Assistant Editor Hitender Rao at his official residence in Chandigarh on Monday, fielding questions on a range of political and administrative issues. Excerpts:
How’s the economy shaping up postlockdown? How good are revenue receipts and how much is your dependence on the market borrowings?
April was bad for us. In fact, the revenue shortfall for April, May and June was about Rs 9,000 crore. We have tried to make up for it by borrowing from the market. Revenue started trickling in after lockdown was relaxed and the collections were about 60% in June. By July 20, we recovered well and are on par with our projections. We are now able to meet our routine expenses on our own.
How much budgetary cut are you contemplating in the revised estimates considering the nosedive economy took?
It’s quite understandable considering the deficit. The Rs 9,000-crore revenue shortfall would force us to re-calibrate our outlay.
How will the downturn in fiscal health impact the state’s development projects and welfare schemes?
There would be no impact on welfare schemes though our development projects have been delayed by three months. During the pandemic we spent an additional Rs 1,500 crore to give relief to people. This includes Rs 600-650 crore cash distribution. The money was used for medical services, ration distribution, arranging return of migrant labour, relief camps.
As finance minister, how do you plan to boost the economy of the state during the pandemic?
The central government package of Rs 20 lakh crore is a big relief. In the changing scenario due to the Covid-19 situation, I feel that service sector will suffer but the manufacturing and agriculture sector will do well.
The central government has sought the views of the state and parents of students about reopening of schools.
We will not open primary schools and will take a call for higher classes in August. Colleges and professional institutions would be the first to start.
Projections show a rising coronavirus infection trajectory in coming months. How do you plan to augment the health infrastructure, including ventilator beds, to meet any eventuality?
See, what essentially matters is the number of active cases and not the cumulative numbers. How many patients have mild symptoms or are asymptomatic is important since such patients qualify for home isolation and takes pressure off our systems. As per our current projections and rate of recovery, we are doing well in terms of health infrastructure. But we keep reviewing it.
The NCR districts of Gurugram, Faridabad and Sonepat have majority of Covid-19 cases. Health minister Anil Vij hinted at the possibility of stricter curbs. Is curfew or selective lockdown on the cards?
Weekend lockdowns will not bring us results. Things are slowly coming back on track and imposition of a fresh lockdown would mean putting pressure on people. Our strategy instead is to go for aggressive containment in the NCR districts. We are screening more people and conducting more tests.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week recommended that NCR districts should follow Delhi’s model for combating the spread of the coronavirus. Do you see a need to work with Delhi since the increase in the number of cases in Gurugram has been attributed to the movement of people between the two cities?
We along with Delhi and Uttar Pradesh are implementing a common strategy for combating the infection. Infection travelled to Haryana from Delhi initially but now both states are on par in terms of contagion spread. Since there is so much back and forth movement from Delhi to Haryana, it is hard to conclude now on the origin of the contagion.
Gurugram was kept in the orange zone despite a sharp rise in the number of cases to facilitate the reopening of the industry. What impact did the closure of businesses in the Millennium City have on the state’s revenue? How is the government planning to boost the local economy?
We can’t overlook the adverse economic impact of three months. But if you look at the power consumption for the industry, it is on par with 2019. This means that the industry is operating at the same capacity as it was last year. Of course, there could be workforce engagement related issues because of the need to maintain social distancing.
We are now seeing protest meetings, party workers’ meeting and gatherings frequently with no effort or punitive action to check them. Do you approve such violations of central government guidelines?
We do make appeals, try to raise awareness levels and inform people about the adverse fallouts. Much of this is deeply ingrained in our system. Restrictions can’t be enforced for longer period. We can persuade and educate but cannot enforce many things.
You were once non-committal about enacting a law to provide 75% private sector job quota. The BJP-led central government also does not sound keen on it. So are you allowing this ordinance only to keep the JJP in good humour?
We certainly want Haryanvis to get priority in employment. There are different ways to do it. For instance, we have a condition that an industrialist who wanted to change the existing use of land in a controlled area has to give an undertaking to provide at least 75% employment to Haryana domiciles. But it could not be enforced. Hence, such measures need legislative backing. I don’t see industry facing any problem. There are adequate measures in the proposed law to address the concerns of the industry.
You recently spoke at Nuh about enacting a freedom of religion law to prohibit religious conversions by force, allurement or marriage. Why do you feel the need for such a law?
There were complaints regarding forced conversions and marriages from many districts. People are free to adopt any religion in an informed manner but using coercion, allurement to force religious conversions is a matter of concern. Such incidents vitiate the atmosphere of society. We are studying similar laws enacted by other states and will accordingly take a call.
The three recent agriculture trade-related ordinances promulgated by the Centre have been opposed by the farmers and commission agents. How do you plan to bring the stakeholders on board?
Experts who understand this issue are supportive of such measures. We would seek their help to mould opinion by organising seminars. Also, it is wrong to say that minimum support price (MSP) will be done away with. Whether creating an environment where farmers and traders have a free choice of sale and purchase of farm produce or go for contract farming, these measures will only benefit the farmer.
The government seems very optimistic about the crop diversification scheme. How well are you placed to break this paddy growing cycle?
Our focus is only on about a lakh hectare and areas where ground water table has gone down. The philosophy behind it is to save water and treat it as an inheritance. The response we have got shows that farmers are keen to build artificial structures on their own for recharging the aquifers.
There is a trend of Congress leaders switching to BJP. First Jyotiraditya Scindia, and now Sachin Pilot may follow. Isn’t it confusing BJP workers?
There are some right-thinking people in the Congress despite the fact that the party does not have ideals and lacks good leadership. If such people are willing to join the BJP, we will welcome them. We do not ignore our workers and everyone has a scope to grow as the BJP doesn’t have dynasties. For example, my father was a shopkeeper and had nothing to do with politics.
How has been your experience of running a coalition government so far? The BJP and JJP have not been able decide on the common minimum programme. Any deadline?
We are not new to coalition politics in the state. The BJP and the JJP both are like-minded entities, and both oppose the Congress. Common minimum programme is not a major issue because we do not have any conflict with our ally. We are well synchronised. The proposed 75 % private sector quota law is an example that we are on the same page.
Opposition leaders such as Sharad Pawar have criticised the PM going for Ayodhya Bhumipujan in the midst of a pandemic on August 5. You will also be going, how would you respond to that?
People like Pawar can’t understand the importance of such things. Former president Rajendra Prasad had attended a ceremony to mark the reconstruction of Somnath temple. It’s not a government or a political programme. The Prime Minister has been invited for it, that’s why he is going.