Haryana governor lauds BJP-JJP coalition for effective Covid control

Wraps his speech at the beginning of budget session in less than five minutes

CHANDIGARH: Applauding the Haryana government for “effectively controlling” the spread of Covid-19 pandemic, governor Satyadeo Narain Arya on Friday said the BJP-JJP coalition government has strongly registered the demand with the Centre for early completion of the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal.

The visibly frail 81-year-old Arya wrapped his customary speech in the Vidhan Sabha to mark the beginning of the Budget session in less than five minutes. He barely read a few lines from what was a 50-page speech listing achievements and proposed schemes of the government.

Backing the excise policy, its planning and implementation, governor said combined revenue collection from GST, VAT and excise have been Rs 36,595 crore (from April 1, 2020 to January 31, 2021), 7.72% higher than the previous year.

Arya said under the “deter and detect” policy to deal with

GST fraud, the government identified 254 fake and non-existent tax payers. “Input tax credit to the tune of Rs 135 crore has been blocked and recovered from these taxpayers,” he said.

“The Haryana government provided Rs 730 crore financial assistance (Rs 3,000 to Rs 5,000 per family) to over 17 lakh families in the wake of Covid,” he added.

While Rs 270 crore was disbursed among 8.76 lakh families, Rs 250 crore was released to 4.67 lakh BPL families and Rs 175 crore to 3.50 registered building and other construction workers.

Over 70,000 workers of unorganised sector were disbursed Rs 35 crore as financial assistance, he said.

“The government, under Operation Samvedna, sent 4,44,422 migrant workers to their home states through 100 special trains and 6,629 buses incurring Rs 8.21 crore expenditure,” Arya said.

The governor said the Supreme Court verdict on the SYL canal logjam in favour of Haryana revalidated the claim of Haryana for construction of SYL canal.

“My government strongly registered our demand for early completion of the canal with the Centre, in the tripartite meeting of Punjab and Haryana chief ministers with Union minister of Jal Shakti, convened as per the mandate of SC,” he said.

NEW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY

Meanwhile, the state government has launched a scheme to install 50,000 off-grid solar pumps of 3-10 HP capacity.

In the first phase, 15,000 pumps with 75% subsidy will be installed in the first phase, Arya said in the Vidhan Sabha.

The governor said the state also plans to introduce 124 fullyelectric buses (70 air-conditioned and 54 AC mini-buses) in Haryana on gross cost model in the initial phase.