Chandigarh, Jul 10: Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Friday said the Centre and the state government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, have ensured that welfare benefits reach every eligible beneficiary without discrimination through transparency, good governance and the principle of Antyodaya.
Addressing a press conference here, Saini said the government’s welfare initiatives are aimed at improving the lives of the poor, farmers, youth, women, senior citizens and other disadvantaged sections of society.
The chief minister alleged that previous Congress governments made promises in the name of the poor, farmers and youth but failed to deliver benefits, while the present government has ensured that eligible beneficiaries receive assistance.
He also criticised the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), alleging that they relied on election-time promises, whereas the BJP-led “double-engine government” fulfilled its commitments.
Saini said eligible beneficiaries no longer have to make repeated visits to government offices for welfare schemes, adding that financial assistance is now transferred directly into beneficiaries’ bank accounts through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mechanism.
He said welfare initiatives such as housing, free foodgrains, healthcare under the Ayushman Bharat scheme and direct financial assistance have improved the lives of poor families.
Targeting the AAP government in Punjab, Saini alleged that promises made to farmers and youth remained unfulfilled after the party came to power.
The chief minister also said Haryana has adopted a transparent recruitment system in which government jobs are being provided on the basis of merit without “parchi” or “kharchi”.
In local parlance, “parchi” refers to recommendation slips and “kharchi” to bribes.
He claimed that more than 50,000 youths have received government jobs over the past one-and-a-half years through a transparent recruitment process. Referring to drug abuse in Punjab, Saini alleged that successive governments had failed to effectively address the problem and stressed that governments should create employment opportunities for youth rather than making political announcements.
On Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s proposed visit to Haryana on July 17, Saini expressed confidence that it would bring new development projects and further accelerate the state’s growth.
Replying to another question, the chief minister said the state government is strengthening drainage infrastructure and constructing borewells to prevent waterlogging during the monsoon season.
