Stating that as per the Finance Commission, the government can borrow up to 3 percent of Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP), Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Monday said that the ratio of loans taken by the state government is within the limit of 3 percent of GSDP. As the GSDP of the state increases in line with development, the limit of taking loans also increases proportionately. 

The state government is borrowing within that limit as much as is required according to the ratio of GSDP, informed Khattar while speaking  on the discussions on budget estimates for the fiscal year 2024-25 during the ongoing budget session of the Haryana Vidhan Sabha.

The Chief Minister said that Congress leaders always claim that the debt figures of their time was Rs 70,000 crores but they never add the debt of DISCOMs which is Rs 27,000 crores. The present State Government had set a target to clear this Rs. 27,000  crores in five years, and by next five years this debt will be paid off, said Khattar.  

He said, “If Congress leaders do not include this amount of Rs. 27,000  crores in their debt, then we will also have to reduce this amount and share the debt figures accordingly. Besides this, Rs. 17,000 crores have also been reduced from the debt of public sector undertakings of the previous government.”

The Chief Minister said that as per the Finance Commission, the government can borrow up to 3 percent of GSDP. During COVID-19, this limit was increased to 3.5 percent. Even then, the state government remained below 3 percent. As much as borrowings are required according to the ratio of GSDP, the state government is taking loans within that limit, Khattar added.

62 Sewage Treatment Plants to combat pollution in River Yamuna and Gurugram Canal

Replying to a question raised by member of House during the ongoing budget session, Haryana  Environment, Forests and Wildlife Minster Kanwar Pal Gujjar said that to reduce the pollution load in river Yamuna and consequently in Gurugram Canal, 62 Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) of 1129 MLD have been installed and working upstream Okhla Barrage and having effect on Gurugram canal. Out of these 62 STPs, 22 STPs of about 241 MLD capacity have been installed during the last 5 years. In addition, 16 number STPs of 409 MLD capacity are being upgraded to meet stringent standards and 8 new STPs of 253 MLD capacity are being constructed. Further, 5 new STPs of 410 MLD capacity has also been approved. He said that polluted water is being released by the UP, Delhi and Haryana into River Yamuna, which runs into Gurugram Canal downstream of Okhla Barrage. The Government has constituted a high-ranking committee regarding the issue of pollution in Gurgaon Canal with the Transport Minister Mool Chand Sharma as its Chairman.

Number of posts of Safai Karmis increased from 11,254 to 18,580

Responding to a question, Haryana Development and Panchayats MinisterDevender Singh Babli stated that the total number of Safai karamcharis has increased from 11,254 to 18,580 in the state. He informed the house that various facilities are now being provided to Safai Karamcharis. He said that the honorarium for sanitation workers has been increased to Rs. 15,000, as recently announced by the Chief Minister. Additionally, a uniform allowance of Rs. 4,000 and an allowance of Rs. 1000 for uniform cleaning have been provided, he added.

Two bills passed

Two bills were passed during the ongoing Haryana Vidhan Sabha Budget Session. These include the Haryana Antrarashtriya Gita Jyanti Mela Authority Bill, 2024, and The Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Haryana Amendment Bill, 2024.