Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini Sunday inaugurated and laid the foundation stones of seven development projects worth around Rs 78 crore in Bawani Khera, claiming the BJP’s “double-engine” government was driving the state’s development at “triple pace”.
Addressing a “Vikas Sankalp” rally, Saini said development works worth more than Rs 1,446 crore had been undertaken in the Bawani Khera Assembly constituency over the past 12 years, compared with Rs 609.58 crore during the previous Congress government’s 10-year tenure. He said the Bhiwani-Hansi section of NH-148B had been completed at a cost of Rs 1,322 crore, while NH-709A was constructed for Rs 749 crore and the Bhiwani-Khark section of NH-709E was widened to four lanes for Rs 169 crore. Doubling of the Manheru-Bawani Khera railway line is underway at a cost of Rs 413 crore, with 12 km completed so far.
The seven projects inaugurated or launched Sunday cover education, healthcare, roads, drinking water and administrative infrastructure. Saini also announced a new building for Bawani Khera’s 50-bed civil hospital at an estimated cost of Rs 50 crore, a 33-kV power substation at Rewari Khera and a women’s college at Khark Kalan, among other works.
Saini lists farmer benefits
Calling farmer welfare a priority, Saini said Haryana was procuring 24 crops at Minimum Support Price and claimed Rs 1.86 lakh crore had so far been transferred directly to the accounts of 12 lakh farmers towards crop procurement. Farmers had also received Rs 16,160 crore as compensation for crop losses over the past 12 years, he said.
The Chief Minister said more than two lakh youths had secured government employment under his government’s policy of recruitment without “kharchi-parchi”, a phrase used to refer to bribes and recommendations. He also highlighted the Haryana Progressive MSME Policy-2026, saying the government was targeting investment of Rs 55,000 crore and more than five lakh new employment opportunities.
Saini also referred to the state’s anti-drug campaign, saying marathons, cyclothons and awareness programmes were being organised across districts alongside enforcement action against narcotics traffickers.
Rs 6,000 crore irrigation push
Haryana Women and Child Development, Irrigation and Water Resources Minister Shruti Choudhry said the state was preparing a major overhaul of its irrigation network with World Bank assistance.
Around Rs 6,000 crore would be spent on reconstruction and improvement of major canals, channels and other irrigation infrastructure, she said, with the objective of ensuring water reaches tail-end areas. Works on the Butana Branch and Sunder Branch have also been approved at estimated costs of Rs 211 crore and Rs 190 crore, respectively.
Choudhry said strengthening the irrigation network would improve water availability for farmers and residents across the state.
The rally, however, was also marked by protests outside the political programme. Local reports said some sanitation employee union leaders who had planned to raise their demands before the Chief Minister were taken to the Bawani Khera police station ahead of the rally as a precautionary measure.