Haryana minister O P Dhankar today hailed the election of over 40 per cent of women candidates to various posts in the recent panchayat polls, saying the state government's decision to field people with clean image and educated women paid dividends.
The Development and Panchayat Minister said 41 per cent of women candidates were elected to the post of Sarpanch, 42 per cent to Member Panchayat Samiti and 43 per cent to Member Zila Parishad.
Crediting the ambitious 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao' programme, launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year, for changing the public mindset, he said that the voters have chosen social change in the fifth general elections to Panchayati Raj institutions.
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Dhankar said their victory was the result of public support and the state government's decision to amend election rules and field people with clean image and educated women.
More than 11 per cent of candidates were graduates, 13 per cent had cleared Class XII examinations, 59 per cent had cleared Class X examinations and 17 per cent had studied up to Class VIII, he said.
He said more than 56 per cent candidates were elected unanimously during polls.
"These included two elected to the post of Member Zila Parishad, 118 to Member Panchayat Samiti, 274 to Sarpanch and 38,555 to the post of Panch," he said.
Dhankar said as per the earlier announcement of the state government, Rs 210 crore would be awarded to panchayats which have been elected unanimously.
He said a survey would be conducted of about 2,000 posts where no seats have been filled due to some reason and election would be conducted in these places within the next six months.
The details of swearing in programme for the new members of Panchayati Raj Institutions in Haryana would be decided after the declaration of completion of the election process by the Haryana State Election Commissioner, he said.
Dhankar also said the report of special 'girdawari'
conducted to assess the damage caused to cotton and other Kharif crops due to whitefly has been received.
The compensation to farmers would be distributed on priority basis after the release of notification of completion of Panchayati Raj elections by the State Election Commission, he added.
He said a new scheme namely 'Pradhan Mantri Krishi Bima Yojana' has been announced by the Centre under which crops, in the event of their not being sown, and crops lying in agricultural fields after 14 days of their harvesting, would be covered.
In case of Kharif and Rabi crops, the farmer will have to pay only 1.5 and two per cent respectively whereas the remaining amount would be paid by the state government and the Centre.
To a question, Dhankar said the biggest mandi for fruits and vegetables is being set up at Ganaur in district Sonepat.
For this, agreements and MoU have been signed with China and France.
To a query on Sutlej Yamuna Link canal and Hansi Butana canal issue, Dhankar said that that he along with Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had met Union Minister Uma Bharti and "expect to get their share of water".
