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Major foreign companies flocking to Haryana: Kidwai

Special Correspondent

Regional Centre of Kurukshetra University to be set up in Jind, says Hooda

CHANDIGARH: India would emerge as a lead power in theyear 2020 if it continued its speedy progress and the people faced unitedly every challenge of this era of globalisation with hard work and dedication, the Haryana Governor, A.R.Kidwai, said on Thursday while unfurling the National Flag at the Republic Day function in Rewari.

Recalling the stupendous progress made in every field during the last 57 years, he exhorted the people to work hard as the progress of the whole nation was only possible if the condition of villages was improved. He stressed the need for providing education, roads, water, power, health and employment to the rural areas as well. Dr.Kidwai said that at present about 300 leading foreign companies had set up their ventures in the country out of which 40 companies were in Haryana at Gurgaon and Faridabad.

He spoke about the need to improve the standard of education to the level of Japan and America so that the youth did not face any difficulty in finding employment abroad. He said that India had a rich past and it was the peoples' duty to maintain it at every cost.

University centre

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, announced that a Regional Centre of the Kurukshetra University would be set up in Jind. He was presiding over the Republic Day function at Jind.

He unfurled the National Flag and inspected the Guard of Honour presented by different contingents of security forces.

Highlighting the importance of this historic day, he said that the Constitution aimed at developing India into a Sovereign Secular Democratic Republic. "We are lucky that still we have one surviving member of our Constituent Assembly, Ranbir Singh, my father, who played a leading role in the freedom movement and suffered a lot along with other freedom fighters.'' Congratulating the people on the spectacular progress in various fields, he said that India would become a second or third economic power of the world during the next 15 years. While asserting that Haryana which came into existence in November, 1966, was rapidly becoming a developed State, he lamented that the pace of development had been hampered during the reign of the erstwhile Chautala Government.

He claimed that Haryana had become the number one State in the field of per capita income and said that his Government, which had assumed office about 11 months ago, was committed to create a new social order and ensure minimum basic amenities to the poor. "It is heartening that we have been able to usher a new era of rapid growth and create an atmosphere where the people do not feel scared and corruption is being eradicated,'' he added.

Main achievements

Mr. Hooda said that waiving off arrears of power bills amounting to Rs. 1,600 crores, fixing minimum floor rates of farmers' lands, setting up of Special Economic Zones, construction of Bhakra Main line-Hansi Branch-Butana Branch, setting up new power stations for generating more than 5,000 MW of power during the next three to four years and setting up an Express Highway were some of the landmarks of development which had been initiated by his regime.

Earlier, the Chief Minister along with other prominent persons paid homage to the martyrs at the War Memorial located in the city. The contingents of the Haryana Police,the District Police, the Home Guards, the Scouts and Girl Guides participated in an impressive parade. School children performed a cultural show projecting national spirit and cultural variety of the state.

Presiding over the Republic Day function at Bhiwani, the Deputy Chief Minister, Chander Mohan, said that the new Industrial Policy had resulted in smooth growth of industries in the State. About 622 small and 20 large and medium industries had been set up with investment of Rs. 230 crores providing direct employment to 10,000 people. He added that the industrial exports of the State had touched a new height of Rs. 20,000 crores annually. A Petro- Chemical Hub was being set up at Panipat and 10 Special Economic Zones (SEZs) were being created. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) had been signed by the HSIDC with Reliance for setting up of a SEZ on 25,000 acres of land.

Meanwhile, presiding over the Republic Day function at Karnal, the Minister of State for Forest and Tourism, Kiran Chaudhry, said that the Congress Government had taken several new initiatives to improve the socio-economic condition of women.

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Major foreign companies flocking to Haryana: Kidwai

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