Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar today hit out at the opposition Congress for "not working" in the interest of the state and doing "nothing" to resolve the long-pending SYL canal issue.
Khattar was replying to the Governor's address in the Haryana Assembly here today.
"Congress always says it works for the betterment of people. But in reality, Congress can never work in the interest of the people. It was a pre-planned strategy of the members of Congress to remain outside the House during the budget session as they knew that the SYL canal issue was to be discussed in the House," Khattar said.
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Congress remained in power in Haryana as well as at the Centre for 10 years but did "nothing" to resolve the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal issue, he said.
"We raised the issue in the Supreme Court. As a result of our concerted efforts, the Supreme Court has started hearing the issue. We have put forth the state's view point in successive four hearings and are again going to vigorously present the same in the fifth hearing scheduled to be held on March 30," he said.
Khattar said that he had also convened an all-party meeting on the SYL canal and Jat reservation issues but Congress "boycotted the meeting on the pretext" that no personal invitation was sent to them. "Congress should have attended the meeting in the interest of the state," he said.
The Haryana CM said that an all-party delegation, barring Congress, later met Punjab Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki and urged him not to sign this "unconstitutional" Bill passed by Punjab Assembly.
Congress members remained absent from the House today despite Assembly Speaker revoking suspension of 11 members out of the 14 MLAs yesterday.
Khattar also said the alleged role of Congress workers in
Jat reservation issue has also come forth as "their senior leader Virender Singh and some others have been arrested and action shall be taken against the defaulters."
On the issue of being called a "Pakistani", he said "I am also a person other than the Chief Minister. Such kind of bad acts personally hurts. I will describe the person who promotes such things as an evil."
On the issue of farmers, Khattar said "the present government is giving utmost importance to safeguard the interest of peasants. In case of crop damage due to natural calamity like hailstorm, the state government had disbursed highest ever compensation among affected farmers in a record one month's period."
The government had announced Rs 967 crore compensation to farmers whose cotton crops were damaged due to whitefly in the last Kharif season and will be disbursed soon.
He said that farmers whose crops were damaged will get relief for five acres only.
The central government had launched 'Pradhanmantri Fasal Bima Yojana' under which full compensation for crop loss would be provided by insurance companies, he said.
There was a heated exchange of words between opposition INLD and treasury benches members when Leader of Opposition Abhay Chautala tried to put forward queries on farmers' issues to Khattar during his reply.
Haryana Speaker Kanwar Pal intervened and asked INLD members not to disrupt Khattar's address.
Referring to the issue of water and development of Mewat district, the Chief Minister said the state is struggling for its legitimate share of Ravi-Beas water through SYL canal which will benefit entire southern Haryana including Mewat.
Similarly, Deen Dayal Awas Yojana-Housing for all and KMP
Expressway will also benefit the people of Mewat, the Haryana CM said.
Referring to 'Happening Haryana Global Investors Summit', he said "as the government jobs are limited, we have to make private arrangements to check unemployment in the state."
"It is a matter of great satisfaction that 39 of the total MoUs, involving investment of Rs 1,28,000 crore, signed during the Summit are for the districts not falling in the national capital region. While 10 per cent MoUs have been exchanged for manufacturing sector, Rs 1,06,000 crore MoUs are for real estate sector," Khattar said.
