Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatraya, while addressing the assembly on the first day of the budget session on Friday, reaffirmed the state government’s unwavering commitment to ‘Viksit Haryana-Viksit Bharat’ and urged all members of the House to work collectively towards the state’s holistic development.

Dattatraya said every member should remember that no obstacle hinders the fulfillment of the resolution of ‘Viksit Haryana-Viksit Bharat’. He expressed the confidence that every member would make the best of every moment of time in this House and prioritize public welfare.

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He highlighted that there is now a favourable environment for the nonstop development of the state. In the coming days, the entire state will be watching how this Haryana Vidhan Sabha makes decisions and formulates policies.

The governor said he was confident that a new chapter of public welfare would be written in this Assembly. He called upon the members to come together with full dedication and work towards the fulfillment of the resolution of ‘Viksit Haryana-Viksit Bharat.’

He said over the last nine seasons, a total of Rs 1,25,000 crore has been transferred to the bank accounts of 12 lakh farmers for the purchase of crops at Minimum Support Price (MSP) through the e-Kharid portal. This initiative is aimed at facilitating the procurement process and providing direct financial relief to the farming community.

The governor further emphasized the success of the ‘PM Kisan Samman Nidhi’ scheme, under which Rs. 6,563 crore has been disbursed to 20.24 lakh farmers in Haryana through 19 installments. This scheme has significantly helped farmers manage their smaller expenses.

In addition, under the ‘Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana’, claims worth Rs 8,732.76 crore have been paid to 34.57 lakh farmers. Over the past decade, farmers have also received compensation of Rs 4,872 crore from the government treasury.

The governor also highlighted Haryana’s unique distinction as the only state in the country where all 24 crops are procured at MSP. In a significant policy move, the government has abolished the centuries-old practice of ‘Abiyana’, which had been in place since the British era.

Recognising the challenges posed by the delayed monsoon last year, Governor Sh Bandaru Dattatraya pointed out that the government has granted a bonus of Rs 1,345 crore to farmers, offering Rs 2,000 per acre to provide relief during the sowing season of Kharif crops.

The governor also shared the implementation of the Agricultural Land Lease Act, which was unanimously passed in the previous session of the Vidhan Sabha. This Act aims to address long-standing issues between landowners and farmers regarding land possession and compensation

He said the state government was actively promoting the cultivation of fruits and vegetables as an alternative to traditional crops, focusing on horticulture. As part of this initiative, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of main campus of Maharana Pratap Horticulture University in Uchani, district Karnal, on December 9, 2024.

He said that the government is also promoting organic farming and has registered approximately 24,000 farmers on the ‘Natural Farming Portal’. Currently, 9,910 farmers are practicing natural farming on 15,170 acres of land. Apart from this, the Bhavantar Bharpai Yojana is being implemented to protect horticultural farmers from market price fluctuations. The ‘Mukhyamantri Bagwani Bima Yojana’ covers 46 horticultural crops, offering compensation of Rs 30,000 per acre for vegetable and spice crops, and upto Rs. 40,000 per acre for fruit crops.

Under the ‘Mera Pani-Meri Virasat’ scheme, the government has provided financial assistance of Rs. 7,000 per acre to farmers for sowing alternative crops instead of paddy. To date, financial assistance amounting to Rs. 147.50 crore has been provided to 1,28,605 farmers under this scheme.

The governor said that the State government is actively working on the construction of the Renuka, Kishau, and Lakhwar Vyasi dams, which are being constructed to ensure a consistent water flow from the Yamuna and its tributaries, Giri and Tons. Once completed, these dams will supply 47.81 per cent of the total stored water to Haryana, significantly enhancing the state’s water security.

He also said that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed with the Government of Himachal Pradesh for the construction of the Adi Badri Dam. The dam, being built by the Himachal Pradesh government, is expected to be completed by June 2027 and will further augment water availability for Haryana.

He said Haryana has become the first state in the country to implement a comprehensive crèche policy aimed at ensuring the well-being of children and enhancing the economic empowerment of women. Currently, 572 Anganwadi cum crèches and 273 stand alone crèches are functional across the state.

The governor further shared that the empowerment of women is a top priority for the state government. Haryana is committed to making women self-reliant, with the goal of enabling 5 lakh women in the state to become ‘Lakhpati Didi’. Already, 2 lakh women have achieved this milestone.

In furtherance of the vision under ‘Namo Drone Didi,’ a target has been set to provide drone pilot training to 5,000 women in the state. So far, 100 women have been successfully trained to operate drones, and they have been provided with drones worth up to Rs 8 lakh free of cost, he said.

He said that over 1,75,000 youth have secured government jobs in the last 10 years on merit. This shift has ushered in a new era of transparency in government operations. In addition, services of approximately 1,20,000 contractual employees have been secured until their retirement.

The Governor said that the National Education Policy-2020 is focussed on promoting qualitative, employment-driven, and research-based education in the state. This policy has been implemented across all universities and their affiliated colleges, starting from the academic session 2024-25.

Furthermore, he mentioned that a total of 250 PM Shri Vidyalayas have been established across the state under the PM Shri Vidyalaya Yojana. Starting this financial year, a cash incentive of Rs 1,11,000 per student has been introduced for Scheduled Caste students who achieve 90 per cent or more marks in the 12th class. To date, cash incentives amounting to Rs 7.81 crore have been distributed to 704 students.

Under the ‘Super-100’ programme, launched in 2018, meritorious students from government schools are provided admission to coaching centers for competitive exams such as IIT, JEE, NEET, and others. So far, 190 students have qualified for IIT Advance, and 333 students have qualified for NEET under this initiative.