Haryana CM reaches out to rural voters

Nitish Sharma

Kurukshetra, May 1

Aiming to strengthen his connect with rural voters and to know the issues at the ground level, the Haryana Chief Minister started his three-day Jan Samvad programme in Kurukshetra on Monday.

On the first day, the CM visited Jhansa, Nalvi and Kharindwa villages and held interactions with residents. During the Jan Samvad, while the CM kept his focus on mentioning all welfare schemes being run by the government, locals were more interested in getting pending issues, including poor condition of roads, drainage, village ponds, community centres, stadium, encroachments and ration cards, resolved. A resident said a stretch of the road was repaired just before the CM’s visit.

Residents lamented that officials did not listen to them and they were forced to make repeated rounds to get their work done.

Unlike other government programmes, there was not much distance between the CM and the people sitting in the programme. To develop an atmosphere of a ‘Chaupal’, mooda chairs, cots and earthen pitchers were kept instead of big sofa sets and chairs.

Motivating the women sarpanches, the CM said: “The sarpanches should speak themselves and raise issues. The SPs (Sarpanch Pati and Sarpanch Pita) should keep silent.”

Khattar said the government had taken several measures to combat corruption and e-tendering was one of the initiatives to ensure developmental projects in the villages with transparency.

He said: “Some people thought that they have spent Rs 50 lakh or Rs 1 crore to win the sarpanch election and how they will recover the money. They might have spent the money to show their status, but this is public money and the funds of panchayats should be utilisied for the welfare of the people.”

He approved an amount of Rs 2 crore for 16 development works in Nalvi village. However, he had to cut short his programme at Nalvi village due to heavy rain.

Earlier, the CM laid the foundation stone of development works worth Rs 6.38 crore to be executed in the new grain market phase-II in Jhansa. He announced X-ray facility and posting of a radiographer at PHC Jhansa, a library.

The CM also visited the government high school at Tangaur village, interacted with the students, asked questions on mathematics and also inquired about the facilities at the school.

He said: “It is our duty to provide quality education to the children as well as to inculcate the spirit of nationality and good values in them.” He also met sunflower farmers and enquired about their issues and needs.

Minister of State Sandeep Singh, Shahabad JJP MLA Ram Karan Kala and several other BJP leaders and officials were present during the programmes.

Motivates women sarpanches

• Motivating the women sarpanches, the CM said: “The sarpanches should speak themselves and raise issues. The SPs (Sarpanch Pati and Sarpanch Pita) should keep silent”
• Khattar said the government had taken several measures to combat corruption and e-tendering was one of the initiatives to ensure developmental projects in the villages with transparency