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Haryana likely to write off debt of the poor

CHANDIGARH: Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said on Friday that his regime was considering measures to waive off the remaining debt of the poor.

Addressing a public meeting at Narnaund in Hisar district, Mr. Hooda said the Government had already waived off interest on cooperative loans of small farmers, petty shopkeepers and artisans. The Government had also waived off arrears of electricity bills worth Rs.1,600 crore due from the farm sector.

The Chief Minister announced that the budget of the State for the next financial year, which would be presented in State Assembly next month, would not be less than Rs.6,600 crore.

He disclosed that the Government had decided recently to buy power at the rate of Rs.8.25 paise per unit from Karnataka and other states.

He regretted that although some people had the opportunity to serve the State for 10 years at a stretch, Haryana’s own generation capacity had remained merely 1,587 MW even after 40 years. He reiterated that an additional generation capacity of 5,000 MW would be added within the next three years.

Referring to demands put up by Member of Parliament Jai Parkash, he announced plans to set up an Industrial Training Institute and a sports stadium at Narnaund provided the land was given by the people of the area. PTI adds: Haryana Finance Minister Birender Singh has announced a bonanza of Rs 1.51 crore for the nursing staff of the Health Department, which included increase in stipend, washing and uniform allowances and special increment for higher education.

Stating this here on Friday, Mr. Singh said that the washing and uniform allowances of the nursing staff had been increased from Rs 100 to 350 per month, which would cost additional burden of Rs 68 lakh annually on the Government exchequer.

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