Haryana CM Saini takes jibe at Cong over development issue

Chandigarh, Jul 12 (PTI) Taking a jibe at the Congress, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Saturday said that its leaders should consider getting their eyesight tested if they cannot see the holistic development taking place across the state.

He reminded them of the times during their own government when citizens had to make rounds of the government offices to avail benefits of schemes.

Lambasting the previous Congress regime, Saini said that it was marked with "red tape, favouritism in job distribution and citizens running from office to office".

He added that in contrast, the "double-engine" government in Haryana has ensured transparent, efficient delivery of welfare schemes at the grassroots level under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership.

The chief minister said the schemes are now directly accessible to citizens through innovative initiatives like the 'Parivar Pehchan Patra' (Family ID).

"Today, over 76 lakh families in the state are receiving the benefits of more than 500 welfare schemes right at their doorstep, " he said, according to an official release.

Saini said that elderly citizens had to make rounds of offices during the Congress regime to get their pensions approved and even then, it often took up to two years to receive the benefit.

In contrast, the present government has provided significant relief to the elderly by proactively granting pensions through the Family ID system, he added.

The chief minister said that while only 17 lakh elderly people were receiving pensions during the Congress era, today 36 lakh beneficiaries are being provided a monthly social security pension of Rs 3,000.

Saini alleged that the Congress government had failed to introduce any substantial policy measures for agricultural growth or farmers' security.

"It is evident that concern for farmers does not exist in the Congress party's DNA. Our government, on the other hand, has ensured 100 per cent procurement of crops at MSP and transferred Rs 6,563 crore to 20 lakh farmers under PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi," he stated.

The chief minister also contrasted compensation support, noting that Congress disbursed only Rs 1,155 crore in 10 years for loss of crops, whereas the BJP-led government has paid over Rs 15,000 crore in the last decade.

Saini said that 1.5 crore beneficiaries have been enrolled and over 20 lakh patients have received free treatment worth Rs. 2,761 crore under the Chirayu Ayushman Bharat scheme.

He further emphasized the government's push for medical education.

The chief minister said that Haryana now has 15 operational medical colleges, nine of which were opened during the BJP's tenure.

"Nine more are in the pipeline. MBBS seats have tripled from 700 to 2,185, with a target of 3,485 in the coming years," he added.

Saini alleged the Congress lacks not just a clear policy agenda, but also the intent and leadership to implement change.

Under the prime minister's leadership, Haryana is witnessing triple the pace of development compared to previous regimes, he said. PTI CHS AS AS