Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Saturday said constructing the Sutlej Yamuna Link canal is Punjab’s responsibility and the water dispute between the states is a separate matter.
He also accused the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Punjab of politicising the issue and urged AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal to clarify his stand on the matter when he visits Haryana next time.
“It is the responsibility of the Punjab government to respect the Supreme Court’s ruling and complete the canal construction,” Khattar told reporters.
He was interacting with women journalists at the India International Center in Delhi.
Addressing questions about women’s empowerment, the Haryana chief minister said the success of ‘Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao’ campaign has led to significant improvement in the gender ratio, with the number of girls per 1,000 boys increasing from 871 to 927 in the state.
He also mentioned the role of khap panchayats and various social organisations in the success of this campaign.
He said during his tenure, 72 new colleges were established in the state with a focus on women’s education.
“Women were given 50 per cent representation in local body elections, and there were even legal battles to ensure educated women’s participation in village panchayats,” he added.
On women safety, Khattar said over 30 women police stations have been opened in the state. The participation of women in the police force has increased from 5 per cent to 13 per cent, he said.
He also expressed his support for the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), saying such an arrangement will promote social harmony and equality and enhance the sense of national identity.
He also talked about One Nation One Election and reiterated the benefits of saving time and resources through this approach.
Asked about stubble burning by Haryana’s farmers and the same contributing to Delhi’s poor air quality, Khattar said his state is working to find alternatives to crop stubble burning and address the issue effectively.