Chandigarh, January 5 – Haryana Health Minister Arti Singh Rao has directed officials to ensure that special emphasis is laid on strengthening the state’s healthcare infrastructure in the upcoming general budget. She said that, based on GIS mapping, it must be ensured that no region of the state remains deprived of health institutions and that all citizens receive equitable and quality healthcare services.

The Health Minister was chairing a high-level meeting of officials in Chandigarh today to review budget preparations related to the Ayush and Medical Education Departments. Detailed discussions were held during the meeting on the current status of health services in the state, existing requirements, and future plans.

The meeting was attended by Additional Chief Secretary (Health) Sh. Sudhir Rajpal, Director General of Ayush Sh. Sanjeev Verma, Mission Director of National Health Mission Haryana Sh. Rippudaman Singh Dhillon, Director of Medical Education and Research Sh. Yashender Singh, Director General of Health Services Dr. Manish Bansal, Dr. Kuldeep Singh, Dr. Virender Yadav, and other senior officials.

On the occasion, Health Minister Arti Singh Rao informed that the state government has accorded in-principle approval to upgrade the Sub-Health Centre located in village Tain of Nuh district into a Primary Health Centre (PHC). Along with this, expenditure of approximately ₹36 lakh has also been approved for the appointment of required staff at this health centre, which will enable people of the area to receive better and timely medical services.

Similarly, approval has been granted for opening a new Primary Health Centre in village Khatodra of Mahendragarh district. This will ensure availability of primary healthcare facilities closer to the people of the surrounding rural areas.

The Health Minister directed officials to ensure advance budgetary provisions for starting new health services wherever required in the state. She said that strengthening the healthcare infrastructure in remote and backward areas remains a priority of the government.

She reiterated that the Haryana Government is fully committed to the health of the common people and that every possible step will be taken to provide accessible, affordable, and quality healthcare services across the state.

Chandigarh, January 5- Haryana Chief Minister, Sh. Nayab Singh Saini said that the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Act, 2025 represents a fundamental overhaul of rural employment policy in India, ensuring more guaranteed workdays, higher wages, transparent payments and creation of durable assets, while putting an end to the corruption and inefficiencies that plagued the earlier MGNREGA framework.

Addressing a press conference here today, the Chief Minister said the Viksit Bharat–G-RAM-G Act is designed to support genuine labourers who were betrayed under previous governments. He said, this law ensures real-time monitoring, transparent wage payments and higher guaranteed employment. Rural workers will now contribute to building a truly developed India, rather than enriching corrupt contractors, officials or politicians.

Cabinet Ministers, Dr. Arvind Sharma, Sh. Ranbir Gangwa, Sh. Krishan Kumar Bedi, Chief Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Sh. Rajesh Khullar and Media Secretary to Chief minister, Sh. Praveen Attrey also remained present on this occasion.

He said that the new law, introduced under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, replaces an outdated structure that no longer reflects the realities of India’s transformed rural economy. He said the legislation is directly linked to the lives and livelihoods of crores of rural labourers, farmers and working families across the country.

Old frameworks must evolve with changing times, says CM

The Chief Minister said that MGNREGA, launched nearly two decades ago, was conceived in a different economic and social context. Like all public welfare schemes, it required reform as circumstances changed. However, successive governments failed to address its structural weaknesses.

He said that over the past 20 years, India’s rural economy has undergone a fundamental shift. Rural poverty, which stood at over 25 percent in 2011–12, has now declined to below 5 percent. At the same time, the last decade has witnessed unprecedented expansion in digital connectivity, banking access, Aadhaar coverage, Direct Benefit Transfer systems and infrastructure development. Continuing with a flawed and outdated employment structure without reform was neither in the interest of labourers nor of the nation, said Sh. Nayab Singh Saini.

Guaranteed employment increased to 125 days, boosting incomes nationwide, says CM

The Chief Minister said that under the new law, the employment guarantee has been increased from 100 to 125 days, significantly enhancing assured income for rural workers. He said this would lead to an average annual income increase of over Rs. 7,000 for an unskilled rural worker across India. In Haryana, where wage rates are the highest in the country, each worker would earn at least Rs. 10,000 more annually, he said.

Record Rs. 1.51 lakh crore allocation ensures financial backing- CM

The Chief Minister said the Centre has allocated Rs. 1.51 lakh crore for the scheme this year, surpassing last year’s record allocation of Rs. 88,000 crore. He said the Central Government’s share alone exceeds Rs.95,000 crore, with a commitment to further increase funding in the coming years to strengthen rural employment security.

The Chief Minister said that in the current year, over 52 percent Scheduled Caste workers and more than 65 percent women workers received employment in Haryana under the scheme.He said that unlike earlier practices, this work was actually performed by workers, rather than being executed through machines while labourers remained unemployed.

Sh. Nayab Singh Saini said the nature of permissible works has been redefined to ensure long-term benefits. Employment will now be generated in water security, rural infrastructure, livelihood resources and climate-resilient asset creation. He added that Gram Panchayat plans have been aligned with the PM Gati Shakti Master Plan, ensuring that village-level works contribute directly to national development goals.

The Chief Minister said the scheme includes a 60-day pause during peak agricultural seasons, allowing labourers to support farming activities and earn higher market wages, while farmers receive timely labour support. He said that mandatory weekly wage payments, with a maximum delay of 15 days, would ensure timely income, financial independence and empowerment for rural workers.

Technology-driven safeguards eliminate fraud and exploitation- CM

The Chief Minister said the new law incorporates biometric authentication, direct digital wage transfers, geo-tagging of assets and satellite monitoring through ISRO’s Bhuvan portal. He said weekly public disclosures and a multi-level grievance redressal system with a seven-day resolution timeline would ensure accountability and transparency. He said that works have been clearly categorised into priority sectors to prevent creation of fake projects for financial manipulation.

Chandigarh: Strongly opposing the BJP government’s move to change the original framework of MGNREGA, the Congress party registered strong objections and appeared highly aggressive in protest. In this context, the Congress launched the nationwide “Save MGNREGA Struggle” campaign from the Chandigarh-based headquarters of the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee.
Addressing a press conference on the occasion, Haryana in-charge B. K. Hariprasad said that the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), implemented in 2005 by the UPA government, is a historic law that guarantees every rural household a legal right to at least 100 days of employment per year.

He said that this law is not only a means of providing employment, but also a lifeline for the poor and a strong pillar of the rural economy. He added that, as part of the protest and in accordance with the directions of the party high command, agitations would be carried out at every level.
Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee President Rao Narendra Singh, in his address, said that unfortunately the present government has been making continuous attempts over the past 5–6 years to weaken MGNREGA. To ensure rural employment and protect the core objective of MGNREGA, the Congress party has launched the “Save MGNREGA Campaign” at the national level. Through this campaign, the public will be made aware of their rights.
He further stated that MGNREGA is not just a source of employment, but also a powerful tool to strengthen the rural economy and improve the living standards of the poor and deprived sections. He informed that under the “Save MGNREGA Struggle,” preparatory meetings will be held at the PCC level, district-level press conferences will be organized, one-day fasts and symbolic protests will be conducted, people will be mobilized at the panchayat level, and peaceful sit-ins will be held at the ward level.

This will be followed by district-level MGNREGA protection protests, a state-level gherao of the Vidhan Sabha, and regional rallies to raise awareness. He said that through this campaign, the Congress will strive to reach every person affected by attempts to change the structure of MGNREGA.
Former Chief Minister and Leader of the Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda said that due to cuts in funding, delays in wage payments, reduction in the number of workdays, and arbitrary restrictions, the poor, Dalits, tribals, women, and other marginalized sections have been the worst affected. According to various government reports, more than 60 percent of MGNREGA wage payments are delayed. He warned that severe consequences would emerge in the coming times.
Senior Congress leader Randeep Surjewala, in his statement, said that the BJP government is constantly harassing the common people under one pretext or another. By changing the original structure of MGNREGA, these corrupt elements are attempting to snatch food from the mouths of rural people, the poor, the deprived, women, and the needy. He said that the Congress party had carefully designed the MGNREGA scheme to strengthen the rural economy and provide employment to women close to their homes, so that they would not have to wander in search of work. However, the corrupt BJP government cannot tolerate the poor earning even a basic livelihood. He asserted that the Congress would never allow the BJP government’s intentions to succeed and is prepared to launch even the biggest movements to protect MGNREGA.
On this occasion, MP Deepender Singh Hooda said that dismantling the MGNREGA scheme is a living example of the BJP’s authoritarianism. He said that the issue is not merely about changing the name, but about altering the structure of the scheme to snatch the rights and entitlements of the needy—an attempt that will fail. The Congress party will never allow the BJP’s effort to succeed.
Through the media, leaders appealed to everyone to actively participate in this campaign in their respective areas and carry forward the struggle to secure the rightful entitlements of the poor through MGNREGA. During the programme, a detailed discussion was also held regarding the upcoming municipal corporation elections in three districts of Haryana.

Speaking on this issue, the Pradesh Congress President said that the Congress has geared up for the municipal elections and will approach the people with its constructive policies, expressing full confidence that the Congress will emerge victorious in these local body elections.
During the press conference, several senior leaders, MPs, MLAs, office bearers, and party workers were present, including MP and Congress Working Committee member Deepender Singh Hooda; former Haryana PCC presidents Chaudhary Dharampal Singh Malik and Chaudhary Uday Bhan; Chaudhary Ram Kishan Gurjar; Jitendra Kumar Bhardwaj; Suresh Gupta; MP Varun Chaudhary; Satpal Brahmachari; Jaiprakash; MLAs Chaudhary Nirmal Singh, Bharat Bhushan Batra, Chaudhary Aftab Ahmed, Parmvir Singh, Mohammad Ijrail, Ashok Arora, Akram Khan, Chandermohan, Kuldeep Vats; MLA Shailja Chaudhary; Pooja Chaudhary; Geeta Bhukkal; Shakuntla Khatak; Sardar Jarnail Singh; Chandraprakash; Induraj Narwal; Balwan Singh Daulatpuria; Balwan Dangi; Jassi Petwar; Devender Hans; Raghubir Singh Tewatia; Naresh Selwal; Ram Karan Kala; Rohit Chaudhary; Chairman, Ex-Servicemen Department, AICC; Haryana Mahila Congress President Sudha Bhardwaj; Media In-charge Sanjeev Bhardwaj; Dr. Poonam Chauhan; President, Haryana Congress Seva Dal, Manoj Bagri; Chairman, SC Department, Haryana Congress, Fom Lal; Chairman, Rajiv Gandhi Panchayati Raj Organisation, Haryana, along with all Congress office bearers and workers.