Chandigarh, Mar 7 (PTI) Governor Bandaru Dattatreya said on Friday that the state government is taking Haryana to new heights of development while working for the welfare and upliftment of all backward and deprived communities.

Addressing the Haryana Assembly on the first day of the budget session, Dattatreya said the government, in its third term, is progressing at three times the pace to fulfil its commitments. And, in line with the 'Antyodaya' philosophy of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya, the government is taking decisive steps for the welfare and upliftment of all backward and deprived communities, he said.

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"Swami Vivekananda inspired the youth of India by saying, Arise, awake and stop not till the goal is reached.' Inspired by these words, my government is relentlessly working with sincerity, determination, honesty and dedication to elevate Haryana to new heights in terms of development and public welfare," he said in his address to the House.

Speaking about the schemes and facilities for senior citizens, persons with disabilities and others, he said the government has implemented a proactive approach to social security pensions.

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"Pension schemes for the elderly, divyangs, widows, destitute children, widowers, and unmarried men and women are being operated under this proactive pension mode.

Till date, benefits amounting to Rs 1,093.40 crore have been directly credited to the bank accounts of 5,43,663 beneficiaries through this unique initiative," he said.

Touching on steps taken for the welfare of farmers, Dattatreya asserted Haryana is the only state in the country where all 24 crops are procured at the minimum support price (MSP).

To directly benefit farmers, Rs 1,25,000 crore has been transferred to the bank accounts of 12 lakh farmers for the purchase of crops at MSP over the last nine seasons through the e-Kharid portal, he said.

Dattatreya said the state government is also actively working on the construction of the Renuka, Kishau and Lakhwar Vyasi dams on the upper reaches of the Yamuna to ensure a consistent water supply to the state from the river and its tributaries, Giri and Tons.

Once completed, these dams will provide Haryana with 47.81 per cent of the total stored water, he said.

He also said that a memorandum of understanding was signed with the Himachal Pradesh government for the construction of the Adi Badri Dam in 2022, which is expected to be completed by June 2027.

On the Satluj Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal issue, Dattatreya reiterated the Haryana government's commitment to complete the project and secure a legitimate share of water from the Ravi and Beas rivers.

During his speech, the governor said under the Mukhyamantri Teerth Yatra Yojana launched in December 2023, elderly individuals from low-income group families have been given the opportunity to visit Ayodhya and bathe in the 'Sangam' during the recently held Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj.

"The entire world witnessed the strength of our great cultural unity during the Maha Kumbh held in Prayagraj recently," he said.

Under the 'Mukhyamantri Shahri Awas Yojana,' 15,256 families have been allotted 30 square yard plots in 14 cities. Similarly, under the 'Mukhyamantri Awas Yojana, a total of 4,533 plots of 100 square yards each in 62 villages and 50 square yards each in Mahagrams have been provided, he said.

The government has extended financial assistance of approximately Rs 1,476 crore to 7,40,000 labourers through various welfare schemes. Recently, after the imposition of 'GRAP-4' to control air pollution in the Delhi-NCR region, financial assistance of Rs 265 crore was provided to 6.54 lakh registered labourers, the governor said.

He also mentioned the steps taken for women's empowerment and said the government wants to enable 5 lakh women in the state to become 'Lakhpati Didi', with 2 lakh women already achieving this status.

The Lakhpati Didi scheme seeks to economically empower women Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and individual entrepreneurs across the country through various financial instruments such as loans.

The governor said about 64,500 self-help groups are operational in the state. Now, 33 per cent of ration depots in the state would be allocated to women, with 252 ration depots having already been allotted to them in the past four months, he said.

Under the new National Education Policy-2020, special emphasis is being placed on quality, employment-driven, and research-based education in the state, he highlighted. All universities and their affiliated colleges have implemented this policy starting from the academic session 2024-25, he said.

Referring to the law and order situation in the state, he said it remains peaceful and under control, with an atmosphere of communal harmony and peace prevailing.

In 2024, a total of 1,11,397 criminal cases were registered in the state, a 12.7 per cent reduction in criminal cases compared to the previous year, he said.

On the new criminal laws, he said the government is determined to achieve the goal of making Haryana the first state in the country to fully implement the three new criminal laws by March 31, 2025.

He also touched upon jobs being given on merit and laurels which sportspersons from Haryana have brought to the nation and the state.

Dattatreya also said that 15 medical colleges are operational in the state, and work of establishing government medical colleges in 11 districts is under progress.

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