Haryana has decided to launch a new scheme, 'Hamara Gaam-Jagmag Gaam', under which 24-hour electricity would be ensured in villages.

Rohtak: With a view to providing round-the-clock power in the rural areas of Haryana, the state government has decided to launch a new scheme, 'Hamara Gaam-Jagmag Gaam', under which 24-hour electricity would be ensured in villages which log hundred percent bill payment.

Announcing the proposal today at his native village of Baniyani and Nindana in the district on Friday, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said that his government was committed to fulfilling its promise of providing 24-hours power supply in Haryana.

Khattar said that while meters are being installed and defective transformers are being changed towards bringing uniterrupted power to Haryana's villages, the villagers have to, on their part, reduce line losses by 20 percent.

In that regard, theft of electricity and non-payment of bills are the main problems facing the government, he said.

Haryana government has to pay about Rs 5,500 crore to the power department every year to make good the loss incurred on account of non-payment of electricity bills and power theft, he said.

Khattar, meanwhile, made various announcements for Binyani and Nindana villages, including for the setting up of a solid waste management plant, community centre, village secretariat, drain for passage of sewerage water, strengthening of all streets and water works to ensure drinking water supply, etc.

A sum of over Rs 6.5 crore would be spent on these works, he said. The chief minister gave Rs 1 lakh for distribution of sweets to the students of Baniyani School and also made various announcements for his native village, Nindana.

He also announced that repairs would be undertaken on the Gohana-Lakhanmajra -Bhiwani road and welcome gates would be constructed at both ends of the village.

The Haryana chief minister sanctioned construction of rooms and recruitment of coaches in the village stadium and also issued directions for the speeding up of the construction of the primary health centre and 11kV feeder in the village.

He also gave Rs 51,000 for sweets to be distributed amongst some children who presented a cultural programme. He disclosed that Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu had adopted Nindana village, whose development as a result, would be carried out under the 'Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana'. he said that the owner of an inverter-manufacturing company had adopted Baniyani.

Asking people to take to cow rearing, Khattar said that the government had decided to give grants to promote the activity in Haryana. Fifty per cent grant would be given by the government to a dairy having five local cows, he said.

The chief minister also said that the state government was committed to ensuring that irrigation water reached the tail-ends of fields. Towards that end, it has decided to clean all canals and repair the drains, he added.

Expressing concern over the declining number of girls in Haryana, Khattar said that the state government had extended the 'Ladli' scheme to check female foeticide. Now, it would also deposit Rs 21,000 upon the birth of every girlchild in the state.

He said that the government had promised to increase the pension to Rs 2,000 per month, but the previous government had plundered the treasury. Yet, his government is committed to keeping its word and has increased the pension to Rs 1,200 per month.

In the next five years, the Old Age Pension would go up to Rs 2,000 per month, he added.

The state government is planning to provide employment opportunities to the youth in the rural areas by promoting small-scale industries and giving them training, he said.

PTI