ACS, Finance and Planning Departments, Sh. Anurag Rastogi inspected three mandis of Gurugram

Directions given to transporters to arrange additional vehicles to speed up crop lifting work

Chandigarh, April 18 – Haryana Additional Chief Secretary, Finance and Planning Departments, Sh. Anurag Rastogi, stated that the procurement of crops is progressing smoothly during the Rabi season in all mandis. Solutions to the problems of traders and farmers are being addressed based on priority, and farmers will also be paid the crop amount as per the rules.

Sh. Anurag Rastogi, after inspecting the Pataudi-Jatauli and Farrukhnagar grain mandis in Gurugram on Friday, was giving necessary directions to the officers. He took detailed information regarding the arrival and lifting of wheat and mustard crops in the mandis.

While interacting with the farmers present on the spot, he also took feedback on the services and facilities provided in the mandis and discussed with traders about procurement and lifting work to bring improvements. He directed to arrange for 10 additional vehicles for crop lifting and to make arrangements for two other points in the Haryana warehousing located in Siwari. Apart from this, directions were given to send the crop being picked from Farrukhnagar to the warehouse located in Fazilpur. He also directed that the procurement agencies which have purchased wheat. They should hold a meeting with the Market Committee officials and stack the grains kept outside in the mandis under the sheds and ensure payment to the farmers within the stipulated time.

He said that all officers should ensure that the procurement and lifting of crops in each mandi are done on time as per the rules. The procurement of wheat in the mandis should proceed smoothly, and immediate solutions should be provided to the problems of traders and farmers. Action will also be taken against the officers who show negligence in this work as per the rules.

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Special monitoring of Social Media for Model Code of Conduct compliance - Chief Electoral Officer Anurag Agarwal

Expense of publicity on social media will be added to the account of the concerned candidate and party

Stringent action to be taken against Model Code of Conduct violations on Social Media

Chandigarh, April 18 – Haryana Chief Electoral Officer, Sh Anurag Agarwal said that the administration of all the districts and Chief Electoral Office of Haryana is fully committed to conducting the Lok Sabha general elections in the state in a transparent and fair manner. In accordance with directives from the Election Commission of India, vigilant monitoring of social media activities is underway by multiple teams, including the Cyber Cell, to ensure adherence to the Model Code of Conduct. In addition, the cost of advertisements broadcast through social media will also be added to the account of the concerned candidate or party.

He said that during the enforcement of the code of conduct, no candidate or party can directly or indirectly disseminate misleading election material. Violations of the Model Code of Conduct will not be tolerated, and appropriate action will be taken against anyone found contravening the rules.

Sh. Anurag Agarwal said that the model code of conduct will remain in effect until the elections conclude, stressing that no individual is permitted to breach this code. To ensure adherence to the code, several teams have been established, rigorously monitoring all activities. These teams maintain a vigilant watch over various social media platforms, including YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp groups. He said that during elections, campaigning extends to social media platforms, akin to newspapers, television, and radio, incurring expenses. Such expenditures are accounted for and added to the respective candidate or party. In accordance with the Election Commission's directives, district-based teams will actively monitor social media during this election cycle. Any detected advertisements will be promptly reported, detailing the associated expenses to the expenditure monitoring team. Based on these reports, the cost of the advertisement will be added to the relevant candidate or party's account.

He stressed the significance of social media monitoring during elections, noting that candidates and parties often conduct campaigns on platforms such as YouTube. If the monitoring team identifies videos on such platforms that unilaterally claim or endorse the victory of any candidate or political party, or advocate for a specific caste or religion, or present misleading material violating the Model Code of Conduct, appropriate action will be taken against the respective YouTube channel operator under the IT Act.

The Chief Electoral Officer said that the Model Code of Conduct applies uniformly to all forms of media, including newspapers, television, radio, and social media. In accordance with the Commission's instructions, consistency in electoral coverage across all media platforms is essential. News disseminated via media channels should remain impartial, refraining from exhibiting bias towards any particular side, religion, caste, or community. It is imperative to abstain from publishing or broadcasting news that favours or opposes any specific religion, caste, or community.

He said that before publishing any advertisement on newspaper or channel, it is necessary to take permission through MCMC Committee. Similarly, approval from the administration is mandated for placing advertisements or promotional material on social media. In compliance with the Election Commission's directives, the expenditure incurred on advertisements in any form is attributed to the respective candidate or party's account. Along with this, no person is allowed to spread misleading propaganda through social media and violate the model code of conduct.

Media plays an important role in conducting elections in a fair and peaceful manner

The media stands as the fourth pillar of democracy, playing a crucial role in facilitating fair and peaceful elections. Beyond just reporting news, the media holds the responsibility of fostering a harmonious societal environment. Media has contributed positively to the society. To ensure transparent Lok Sabha elections, there is an earnest appeal to all persons associated with newspapers, news channels, and other social media platforms to refrain from publishing any misleading promotional material that may contravene the Model Code of Conduct. Moreover, it is essential to obtain administrative permission before publishing any advertisement. Advertisement expenses will be added to the election expenses of the candidate.

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Additional Chief Secretary, Shrikant Walgad visited Gharaunda grain market (RECEIVED prharyana22@gmail.com- 4.32 pm)

Issued necessary directions to officers

Chandigarh, April 18 – Haryana Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Fisheries', Sh. Shrikant Walgad today visited the Gharaunda grain market in Karnal district to assess the procurement and lifting process of wheat. He provided necessary directions to officers to expedite wheat lifting process.

During this occasion, Sh. Walgad informed that today he visited the Gharaunda grain market along with officers from HAFED, Haryana WareHouse Corporation, and officials from the Department of Food, Civil Supplies, and Consumer Affairs. All relevant officers assured him of their complete support in wheat procurement and ensuring that farmers do not face any difficulties. He mentioned that so far, four lakh metric tons of wheat have arrived in this market. The SDM, Sh. Rajesh Soni, has assured to expedite the wheat lifting work. He informed that 42 percent of the wheat from the arrivals has already been lifted. Further speed will be brought into this work.

Sh. Walgad directed officers regarding the procurement of wheat varieties DBW 187 and 222, and asked them to report to district officers of various procurement agencies so that issues can be resolved promptly. ACS inspected the moisture content of wheat from different lots using 'moisture meter' which was found to be slightly more than the prescribed quantity. Instructions were given to regulate this as per norms. Apart from Secretary of the Market Committee, Sh. Chandraprakash, officials from various procurement agencies were also present on this occasion.

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Awareness stickers affixed on lifts of 618 government and private buildings across the state - Chief Electoral Officer Anurag Agarwal

Awareness message on sticker prompts voter awareness before elevator use

\Chandigarh, April 18- Haryana Chief Electoral Officer, Sh. Anurag Agarwal said that in an effort to raise awareness about the Lok Sabha general elections, awareness stickers have been affixed on lifts of 618 government and private buildings across the state.

He said that awareness stickers provided by the Election Commission have been affixed outside the lifts of both government and private buildings. The message on the sticker reads, "Use this finger not only to press the lift button but also to press the EVM button on May 25, 2024. When voters reach the booth, democracy should be strengthened." At the top of the sticker, it states, "Chunaav Ka Parv – Desh Ka Garv," highlighting the significance of the electoral process. The sticker features an illustration of a finger pressing the button on the EVM, serving as a reminder to exercise our voting rights.

Sh. Anurag Agarwal said that awareness stickers have been affixed to the lifts of 618 government and private buildings across the state. These stickers were pasted on lifts of government and private buildings across various districts as follows: Panchkula 16, Ambala 15, Yamunanagar 24, Kurukshetra 30, Kaithal 30, Karnal 30, Panipat 51, Sonipat 30, Jind 30, Fatehabad 30, Sirsa 30, Hisar 35, Bhiwani 32, Rohtak 35, Jhajjar 30, Mahendragarh 30, Rewari 30, Gurugram 35, Faridabad 42, Mewat 15, Palwal 13, and Charkhi Dadri 5.

He said that to encourage maximum voter participation in the Lok Sabha elections, stickers are being prominently displayed in public spaces, hospitals, and other locations. These stickers serve to remind citizens about the importance of voting before they press the lift button.