*Development and Panchayat Minister Krishan Lal Panwar held a District Public Relations and Grievances Redressal Committee meeting in Rohtak*

*Nine complaints resolved out of 16 on the spot*

Chandigarh, December 20- Development and Panchayat Minister, Sh. Krishan Lal Panwar said that the state government has passed a bill during its first assembly session. This bill aims to grant ownership rights to individuals who have constructed houses between 100 and 500 square yards on land situated outside the 'Lal Dora' and separate from pond or 'firni' land for over 20 years. The land will be valued at the collector rate.

Sh. Krishan Lal Panwar was presiding over the monthly meeting of the District Public Relations and Grievances Committee in Rohtak. Out of the 16 complaints in the agenda, nine were resolved on the spot, while officers were directed to submit reports on the remaining ones.

In response to a complaint regarding individual electricity meters, the Minister constituted a committee comprising the Deputy Commissioner, Municipal Corporation Commissioner, and the Superintending Engineer and Executive Engineer of the Electricity Department. He also directed Omaxe City to settle its outstanding dues within a month.

Regarding a complaint about land given by Gram panchayats for hospitals and power houses, Sh. Panwar directed the Revenue Department officers to investigate the matter and submit a report to the Deputy Commissioner for the same. The Panchayat Minister also heard other complaints included in the agenda of the meeting and gave necessary directions.

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Haryana police breaks drug nexus: 4652 drug traffickers sent behind bars in 2024

Public Interest is Top Priority for Government, Officers Must Address Public Complaints Promptly: Ranbir Gangwa

Public Works Minister Resolves 13 Cases During District Public Relations and Grievances Committee Meeting

Chandigarh, December 20 – Haryana Public Health Engineering and Public Works (Buildings and Roads) Minister, Mr. Ranbir Gangwa said that the people of Haryana have given the BJP government a strong mandate for the third consecutive term. He assured that there will be no compromise on development initiatives, stating that the government's top priority is public welfare. He urged officers and officials to promptly address and resolve legitimate public complaints at the earliest.

Mr. Gangwa said this while presiding over a meeting of the District Public Relations and Grievances Committee in Karnal today.

During the meeting, Mr. Gangwa addressed 13 cases brought before the Committee. Of these, 9 cases were resolved immediately, while 4 cases were sent for further investigation as the minister was not satisfied with the initial responses.

In his address, the Minister instructed officials to prioritize completion of development projects that cater to the basic needs of the public. He also urged them to ensure that no work is left incomplete and to prepare proposals for new development projects based on public demand. These proposals should be submitted through the respective MLAs to ensure holistic development across the state.

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Commercial-quantity cases registered against 841 drug traffickers in 2024, leading to their arrests

State-wide campaign, Nashamukt Bharat Pakhwada,' reached lakhs to spread anti-drug messages

Chandigarh, December 20- Haryana Police is setting new benchmarks in its ongoing campaign against drugs in the state. Under the campaign being run by the Haryana State Narcotics Control Bureau and district police to break the nexus of drug peddlers in the state, every possible effort is being made. In this series, Haryana Police has registered 3051 cases against drug peddlers from January 1, 2024 to November 30, 2024, and sent 4652 accused behind bars. Along with this, taking strict action against habitual offenders, preventive detention action was taken against 63 drug peddlers under the PIT NDPS Act in the year 2024 to ensure that these criminals do not get involved in drug trafficking again

Sharing information in this regard, Director General, Police, Sh. Shatrujeet Kapur said that Haryana Police has prepared an effective strategy to break the drug supply chain. He informed that in the year 2023, Haryana Police had registered 326 commercial quantity cases, while in the year 2024, 411 cases have been registered in which action has been taken against 841 big drug peddlers. He informed that to expedite big cases related to drug smuggling, the time limit for getting reports from the Forensic Science Lab (FSL) has been reduced to 15 days, which will not only expedite the trial but will also help in increasing the conviction rate.

He informed that 5150 Gram Praharis and Ward Praharis have been appointed in the villages to make the state drug-free. Gram Praharis and Ward Praharis keep an eye on those who sell drugs in the villages. Along with this, people who have become addicted to drugs are helped in quitting drugs. Similarly, due to the success of the Namak Lota campaign, there has been a 15 percent decrease in small-quantity NDPS cases this year compared to the previous year. Under this campaign, the community was made aware and small offenders were encouraged to quit drugs.

Giving detailed information about community participation and awareness programs, Head, Haryana Narcotics Control Bureau,Sh. O.P Singh, said that under the drug-free Haryana campaign, community participation was ensured to make people aware of the ill effects of drugs. In these programmes, people were made aware of the ill effects of drugs through cultural activities, sports, and interactive sessions. Similarly, Haryana Police ran a Nashamukt Bharat Pakhwada in the state. During the Nashamukt Bharat Pakhwada, anti-drug messages were conveyed to lakhs of people in 15 days. This initiative strengthened the state's efforts at the national level and laid the foundation for widespread public awareness.

Sh. Singh said that considering drug addiction more of a health challenge than a crime, Haryana Police focused on the rehabilitation of drug addicts. By conducting surveys in the state, people who had become addicted to drugs were identified and sent to rehabilitation centers for treatment. During this time, by making a strategic plan with the Health Department, people who were addicted to drugs were helped to come out of its pit.

Sharing the data, he informed that in the state, 411 cases related to drug smuggling were registered in the commercial quantity, 1808 intermediate quantity and 832 in small quantity in the year 2024. He informed that this year, Haryana Police has registered various types of cases and recovered 28 kg 148 grams of heroin, 266 kg 083 grams of charas, 8552 kg 088 grams of ganja, 400 kg 956 grams of opium, 382 kg 277 grams of opium plants, 15441 kg 253 grams of bhukki, 48436 bottles of narcotic drugs, 3,11,776 narcotic capsules, 6,91,681 narcotic tablets, 12778 narcotic injections and other narcotic substances.

He said that Haryana Police is determined to make the state drug-free. Drugs are a big threat to our country and society. It has an adverse effect on health. Appealing to the common people, he said that if they see drugs being sold anywhere around them, they should immediately inform the Haryana Narcotics Control Bureau on the toll-free number- 9050891508.

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Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini expressed grief over the demise of former Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala

Chandigarh, December 20 – Haryana Chief Minister Sh Nayab Singh Saini has expressed deep sorrow and grief over the sad demise of former Chief Minister and senior INLD leader, Chaudhary Om Prakash Chautala. He remarked that with Chautala's passing, a significant chapter in Haryana's political history has come to a close, and it is hard to fill the void left by his departure. His immense contribution to Haryana's political landscape will always be remembered.

The Chief Minister said that Sh. Chautala's personality was a reflection of simplicity and resilience. He was a visionary leader who initiated numerous schemes for rural development, education, and infrastructure improvement. His passing has left not just his family, but the entire state in deep sorrow. The Chief Minister offered his prayers to the Almighty, asking for peace for the departed soul and strength and patience for his grieving family.

It is noteworthy that Sh. Om Parkash Chautala first became the Chief Minister of Haryana in 1989 and served in the role five times. He passed away on Friday at the age of 89 in Gurugram.

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Haryana Irrigation and Water Resources Minister Mrs. Shruti Choudhry has urged the National Water Development Agency (NWDA) to prioritize the construction of the Mavi Barrage near Panipat.

Chandigarh, December 20: Haryana Irrigation and Water Resources Minister Mrs. Shruti Choudhry has urged the National Water Development Agency (NWDA) to prioritize the construction of the Mavi Barrage near Panipat. Highlighting its significance, she stated that the proposed barrage could supply more water to Rajasthan than the Hathnikund Barrage, while also providing additional water resources to Haryana.

The Irrigation Minister presented this demand during the 38th Annual Inter-State River Linking Meeting, held virtually under the chairmanship of Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Mr. Raj Bhushan Choudhary.

Mrs. Choudhry emphasized that Haryana lacks adequate water storage facilities on the Yamuna river, which flows through the state. She said that during the monsoon season, surplus water from the Yamuna river flows wastefully into the Bay of Bengal. The construction of the Mavi Barrage as part of the Sharda-Yamuna Interlinking Project would secure additional water for Haryana, ensuring sufficient resources for both irrigation and drinking water.

On the broader topic of river interlinking, Mrs. Choudhry highlighted a long-standing challenge—Nepal’s pending consent on the Sharda-Yamuna Interlinking Project, as the Sharda river originates in Nepal. She urged swift action to resolve this delay.

Additional Chief Secretary of Irrigation and Water Resources Department Mr. Anurag Agarwal and senior officers of the department also attended the meeting.

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Swachh Haryana Mission Kicks Off: Special Campaign for Cleanliness and Record Management

Chandigarh, Dec 20: Haryana Chief Secretary Dr. Vivek Joshi today said that a special campaign will be launched under the Swachh Haryana Mission to promote cleanliness across rural areas, urban local bodies, panchayati raj institutions, public spaces, and all government offices until January 31.

Dr. Joshi shared these details after a virtual meeting with Shri V. Srinivas, Secretary of the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), Government of India. He said that the campaign will be conducted in two phases. Under this initiative, Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI) and Urban Local Bodies (ULB) will create activity calendars to ensure continuous cleanliness, waste management, and sustainability initiatives.

The Chief Secretary further said that the special campaign also aims to enhance cleanliness in all department offices, including their attached/subordinate offices, PSUs, etc., to improve the public's experience with government offices and officials. The focus of the campaign will be on field/outstation offices responsible for service delivery and those with public interaction, along with administrative departments and directorates.

The preparatory phase will last until December 31 and will involve groundwork across departments. During this phase, nodal officers will be appointed in each directorate, district office, and public sector unit to lead campaign activities. These officers will mobilize staff, identify sites for cleanliness drives, and assess redundant materials for disposal, including through e-auctions. Record management will also be emphasized, with a focus on streamlining document retention and weeding out obsolete records as per the guidelines in the Government of Haryana Manual of Office Procedure.

During the main phase from January 1 to January 31, 2025, departments will implement the plans devised during the preparatory stage. The campaign will focus on thorough cleanliness drives, proper disposal of scrap materials, and improved management of office spaces and records. Nodal officers will play a crucial role in documenting progress with high-resolution photographs and videos, reporting achievements, and ensuring feedback from the public on the campaign’s impact.

A central monitoring portal developed by NIC will track the campaign’s progress. Nodal officers will update this portal daily, highlighting achievements and best practices from their respective departments. Feedback from the public will be documented to evaluate the campaign's success. Administrative secretaries will regularly review the progress, and dedicated officers will visit campaign sites to assess cleanliness efforts.

Dr. Joshi emphasized that this campaign aims to enhance the overall work environment in government offices, leading to improved public satisfaction. By addressing space optimization, record management, and cleanliness, the initiative underscores the government’s commitment to efficiency and better service delivery.