I-Day gift: Khattar grants remission to aged prisoners

Tribune news Service

Gurugram, August 16

Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar unfurled the national flag in Gurugram to mark 71st Independence Day here on Tuesday. He granted special remission to prisoners who had been sentenced for life and are 75 years or above in case of men and 65 years or above in case of women as on August 15. They should have completed eight years of sentence in case of male convicts and six years in case of women convicts, including the undertrial period but excluding the parole period, with satisfactory conduct during confinement.

Khattar paid tributes to all recognised and unknown freedom fighters and highlighted his government’s achievements. “When the world looks at development in India, Haryana surely finds a mention. In about 1,025 days of my government’s tenure, we not only identified hindrances that slowed our pace of growth but also made efforts to remove these. The government’s working has now become an epitome of efficiency and transparency. Corruption has dipped in the state and it is more a cause to celebrate Independence Day,” he said.

He added merit-based recruitment and transfers instilled confidence in the youth of getting a fair chance and job opportunities.

Khattar said Haryana is the land of martyrs whose sacrifices would never be forgotten. “The Haryana Government is building an international standard ‘Shahid Samarak’ in Ambala while the Sainik and Ardh Sainik Welfare Department has been set up to ensure honour and welfare of serving and retired defence personnel and their dependents. The ex-gratia grant given to the kin of servicemen killed in the line of duty has been increased from Rs 20 lakh to Rs 50 lakh and the amount of financial assistance given to servicemen injured in war, terrorism and other incidents has been increased by 10 per cent to 15 per cent on the basis of the extent of disability,” he added.

Khattar said, “The government is providing highest-ever compensation for crop loss and highest-ever minimum support price (MSP) for agriculture produce. It is establishing a horticultural university, developing villages as horticultural villages and supplying water through various distributaries to southern Haryana after 39 years. The e-Bhoomi portal has been launched so that farmers may sell their land in a convenient manner”. He credited his government with the hearing in the Sutlej-Yamuna Link Canal case after 11 years and the verdict given in favour of Haryana. “We will get our rightful share of the waters of the Ravi and the Beas,” he added.