The Haryana Assembly on Tuesday witnessed heated exchanges between opposition lawmakers and the treasury benches over Rs 2100 monthly allowance for women. On the third day of the Budget session of the Haryana Vidhan Sabha, Congress MLA from Mulana Pooja Chaudhary during Question hour sought to know from the Government the time by which the monthly assistance is likely to be disbursed to the women of the state. Participating in a discussion on the governor’s address, another Congress leader and Julana MLA Vinesh Phogat also raised the issue of Rs 2100 allowance for women.

In his reply, Haryana Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Krishan Kumar Bedi referred to the BJP’s poll promise and said, “It is under consideration and the government will take a decision on this soon,” Bedi informed the House. Ahead of the October 2024 Haryana Assembly polls, the BJP had promised to provide the amount to women each month if it returned to power.

Asking a supplementary question, the Congress MLA said, “I am surprised that this kind of reply is being given in the House. Is this the seriousness of the government?” “During the polls, this was the BJP’s first promise to women. They spoke of giving financial assistance to women. And now, five months later, this matter is under consideration. I am asking a clear question about the definite time when the scheme will be implemented,” she asked.

Responding to this, Bedi reiterated his reply and told the Congress MLAs in the House that they do not have to worry about the seriousness of the BJP government whose “promises are guarantees”. Launching a scathing attack on the Congress, the minister reminded the party about the fate of promises it had made to the people of Himachal Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka.

Discussion on Governor's Address
 
Ruling BJP MLAs on Tuesday claimed in the Haryana Assembly that the state is witnessing fast development under the party-led government, which the opposition countered saying that the state has fallen behind on several parameters. The MLAs were participating in a discussion on the Governor's Address in the State Assembly. 

The ruling party legislators talked about various steps that the BJP government has taken in the state for the welfare of various sections in the past decade. BJP MLA Laxman Singh Yadav said all-round development has been undertaken by the state government, but the opposition cannot see it. Another BJP MLA Kanwar Singh Yadav said if the opposition claims no development has been undertaken, then why did people bring back the BJP to power for a third consecutive term? He targeted the Congress, saying people have repeatedly rejected them. "Their situation is such that today they are unable to even pick up their legislative party leader (CLP)," he said.

Meanwhile, Congress member Ashok Arora, while participating in the discussion on the Governor's Address, said the Address is supposed to be the roadmap of the government, which shows what it intends to do for the public and how to facilitate them, but none of it was mentioned this time. "It is the government's responsibility that people should get good education, good health, security and youth gets employment. But all these things are missing in Haryana today," Arora said.

Arora said that the government talks about making Haryana "viksit", "but 75 per cent of the state population is below the poverty line". He said youth are not getting employment and many are forced to adopt illegal "donkey" routes to go abroad in search of employment where they get caught and then deported.

Congress' Pooja Chaudhary targeted the government on various fronts. She said, "3/4th population is living below the poverty line. If the policies of the government were right, the income of the poor would have doubled and not their number".  On the farmers' issue, she asked if the government's policies are "farmer-centric", then why are peasants still unhappy? She said the government should specify the income of how many farmers has been doubled.