Chandigarh, February 21 – Haryana State Election Commissioner Sh. Dhanpat Singh has said that nomination papers for elections to Municipal Corporation Panipat will be filled from February 21 to February 27 on all working days (except Sunday, February 23 and gazetted holiday declared on account of Mahashivratri on February 26).

He said the nomination papers will be scrutinized on February 28. After that, candidates who want to withdraw their nomination can do so on March 1 from 11 am to 3 pm. Election symbols will be allotted to the candidates after 3 pm on the same day. On March 1 itself, the list of candidates contesting the election and polling stations will be pasted in public places. After this, voting will be held on March 9 from 8 am to 6 pm. On completion of the entire election process, counting of votes will be done from 8 am on March 12 and the election results will be declared on the same day. For the convenience of the candidates contesting the elections, a single window has been set up at the district level to give all types of NOCs.

The State Election Commissioner said along with the post of Mayor in Panipat Municipal Corporation, elections will be held for ward members in 26 wards. A total of 365 polling booths have been set up in all 26 wards. According to the ward-wise final published voter list of Panipat Municipal Corporation, there are a total of 4,8,534 voters, out of which 2,17,559 are male voters, 1,90,962 are female voters and 13 are other category voters.

No. IPRDH/2025

Chandigarh, February 21 –Additional Principal Secretary to Haryana Chief Minister Dr. Saket Kumar and Commissioner and Secretary Animal Husbandry and Dairying Department Mr. Vijay Singh Dahiya, held a meeting today with representatives from three associations to discuss the demands of Veterinary Livestock Development Assistants (VLDA) at the Haryana Civil Secretariat. During the meeting, the representatives of the association also submitted a demand letter.

While listening to the representatives’ demands, Dr. Saket Kumar said that, under the guidance of Chief Minister Sh Nayab Singh Saini, the government is fully committed to the welfare of its employees. As such, all demands will be considered with due attention and sympathy.

During the meeting, it was shared that the state government is dedicated to ensuring the health care of livestock across Haryana. Mobile vans are also being deployed to provide health services to animals. Veterinary Livestock Development Assistants (VLDAs) are consistently fulfilling their duties with dedication.

The representatives of the association presented several demands, including a change in the designation of VLDA, a revision of the VLDA diploma name, amendments to the service rules, the introduction of an online transfer system, and the establishment of a Diploma Veterinary Council. In response, Dr. Saket Kumar assured that these demands would be addressed and resolved at the earliest.

Dr. Saket Kumar further stated that committees will be formed to make policy decisions on some of the demands. These committees will include professors from Lala Lajpat Rai Veterinary and Animal Science University (LUVAS) in Hisar, as well as representatives from the association.

Director General Animal Husbandry and Dairy Department, Dr. LC Ranga, along with representatives from the Diploma Veterinary Association, Veterinary and Livestock Extension Association, and Diploma Veterinary Association Haryana were also present in the meeting.

Chandigarh, February 21 – Haryana Chief Minister Sh Nayab Singh Saini, while presenting Haryana’s interests before the Ravi-Beas Water Tribunal, said that the final decision on the report submitted by the Ravi-Beas Water Tribunal on 30th January 1987 should be made at the earliest so that Haryana can receive its rightful share of water without further delay.

The Chief Minister made these remarks during a meeting with the Ravi-Beas Water Tribunal, which visited Chandigarh.

Sh Nayab Singh Saini extended a warm welcome to Justice Sh. Vineet Saran, Chairman of the Ravi and Beas Water Tribunal, Member Justice Sh P. Naveen Rao, and Sh. Suman Shyam on behalf of the 2.80 crore people of Haryana. He said that the Ravi and Beas Water Tribunal had submitted its report on January 30, 1987. Since that day, people of all ages in Haryana – from children to the elderly – have been eagerly awaiting a final decision on this matter.

The Chief Minister expressed his hope that the Tribunal would deliver a prudent and fair judgment, one that would be widely respected across the country.

He said that water conservation for future generations is not only a priority for India but has also become a global concern. To address this, comprehensive water conservation plans must be developed. He said that former Prime Minister Late Sh Atal Bihari Vajpayee had initiated plans to link rivers, a vision that is now being advanced by Prime Minister Sh Narendra Modi. The Haryana government has also taken significant steps toward establishing a framework for river linkage.

Sh Nayab Singh Saini said that the SYL issue remains critical for Haryana, with the Hon’ble Supreme Court ruling in Haryana’s favour. However, the state has yet to receive its rightful share of water from Punjab. He pointed out that Haryana has repeatedly raised the demand for its water share across multiple forums, but the Punjab government has made no progress on this matter. He expressed hope that the SYL issue would be resolved soon.

Chief Principal Secretary to Chief Minister of Haryana, Sh Rajesh Khullar, Additional Chief Secretary Irrigation and Water Resources Department, Sh Anurag Agarwal and the Advocate Generals of Haryana and Punjab were also present on this occasion.

Chandigarh, February 21 – Haryana Chief Minister Sh. Nayab Singh Saini has given administrative approval to renovation of 873 km-long roads in 4 districts, namely Bhiwani, Fatehabad, Karnal and Yamunanagar, at a cost of about Rs 54.22 crore. This improvement in road network and connectivity will greatly benefit the public and will provide convenience in transportation.

Giving detailed information, Additional Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, Dr. Saket Kumar said special repair of 11 roads will be done in Bhiwani district, whose total length is 47.7 km. Also, 4 roads of 18.6 km length will be widened and strengthened. These will cost Rs 8.17 crore and Rs 3.95 crore, respectively. Apart from this, 94 roads of 265 km length will be repaired under the annual repair category in Bhiwani, which will cost Rs 2.19 crore.

Similarly, 109 roads of 252 km length will be repaired under the annual repair category in Fatehabad district, which will cost about Rs 2 crore. Also, 7 roads of 24.3 km length will be widened and strengthened at a cost of about Rs 12.65 crore.

He further informed that special repair of 14 roads will be done in Karnal district, whose total length is 31.36 km. Also, 9 roads of 21.32 km length will be widened and strengthened. These will cost Rs 6.51 crore and Rs 6.44 crore, respectively.

Apart from this, under the annual repair category, 112 roads of 185.49 km length will be repaired in Yamunanagar district, which will cost Rs 1.72 crore. Also, special repair of 6 roads will be done at a cost of Rs 4.28 crore, whose total length is 12.83 km. At the same time, 7 roads of 14.39 km length will be widened and strengthened at a cost of about Rs 6.26 crore.

Chandigarh, February 21 – A workshop was organized at Haryana Civil Secretariat today to review the PM Internship Scheme announced for the youth in the Union Budget, 2024-2025.

 In this workshop, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Government of India, Smt. Anuradha Thakur shared detailed information about the scheme. Additional Chief Secretary, Youth Empowerment and Entrepreneurship Department, Haryana, Sh. Vijayendra Kumar was also present on this occasion.

It was informed in the workshop that in the Budget speech for the financial year 2024-2025, PM Internship Scheme has been announced, under which internships will be provided to one crore youth in 500 big establishments of the country. During this period, a monthly stipend of Rs. 5,000 will be given by the company and a lump sum allowance of Rs. 6,000 will be given by the Government of India.

Smt. Anuradha Thakur informed that the Ministry has launched the portal www.pminternship.mca.gov.in for online registration for PM Internship Scheme, on which companies and interested candidates can register for internship. In this scheme, youth between 21 and 24 years of age, who have graduation qualifications like 10th, 12th, ITI, Polytechnic Diploma, Engineering, BA, BSc etc., can apply and avail the benefits of the scheme. Interested youth can register till 12 March in the second phase of this scheme. Under this scheme, 5646 vacancies are available for internship in big companies in the second phase, for which youth can apply immediately.

She said that after successfully completing internship in big companies, either the same company can consider giving permanent job to the best candidates or the youth’s chances of getting job quickly in other companies increase.

Director General of Technical Education Department Sh. Prabhjot Singh, Director of Skill Development and Industrial Training Department Captain Manoj Kumar, Director of Higher Education Department Sh. Rahul Hooda, along with other officers participated in the workshop.

Chandigarh, February 21 – Haryana Chief Minister Sh. Nayab Singh Saini said that the state and Central Governments are working for the welfare of farmers, which is directly benefiting them. Farmers are moving towards economic progress with the help of initiatives being run by the government for their upliftment. In this connection, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed today between Maharana Pratap Horticultural University, Karnal and Kochi University, Japan for the benefit of farmers. With this, universities of both the countries will work on modern technologies beneficial for farmers in the field of horticulture.

          An MoU was signed between Maharana Pratap Horticultural University, Karnal and Kochi University, Japan in the presence of Chief Minister Sh. Nayab Singh Saini and Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Sh. Shyam Singh Rana in Chandigarh for research on a technology called Internet of Plants (IOP).

*Farmers should leave traditional farming and move towards profitable horticulture farming: CM*

          The Chief Minister said that now the time has come for farmers to do profitable farming. For this, they should leave traditional farming like wheat and paddy etc. and move towards profitable horticulture farming. For this, the Haryana Government and the Central Government are providing all possible help to the farmers. He said that Haryana is called the food granary of the country and horticulture crops are needed along with agriculture. The area and production of horticulture crops is continuously increasing in the state. Seeing higher income, farmers are also moving towards horticulture crops.

*Immense possibilities to increase the area under poly house*

          He said that special attention is needed to reduce the effects of increase in average temperature and change in rainfall pattern due to climate change. For this, it has become very important to promote protected farming. He said that in Haryana, horticultural crops are being produced in poly house in about 4,000 acres, while horticultural crops are being cultivated in low-tunnel in about 6,400 acres. There is immense possibility of increasing the area under poly house.

*This agreement will prove to be a milestone in increasing the income of farmers*

          Sh Nayab Singh Saini said that supply chain and cold chain management is required to reduce the post-harvest loss in fruits and vegetables. In this context, the Haryana government has decided to work under Japan’s JICA project. He said that he is very happy that MHU Karnal and Kochi University, Japan will work together so that such modern scientific technology will be made for Haryana and made available to the farmers. This will increase the production, quality and possibilities of more income from horticultural crops. This agreement will prove to be a milestone for increasing the income of farmers, which will benefit not only the farmers of Haryana but the entire country.

          On this occasion, Haryana Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Sh. Shyam Singh Rana expressed happiness over the agreement and said that in the last few years, due to various welfare schemes of the government in the field of horticulture, the interest of farmers has increased, due to which the area of horticulture has increased to 10 lakh acres. The government is running many schemes to increase the income of farmers, in which farming in poly house is an important step.

          Vice Chancellor of Maharana Pratap Horticultural University, Karnal, Prof. Suresh Malhotra said that a historic agreement has been signed today. Under this, sensor technology will be used on fruit, vegetable, flower and spice crops inside the greenhouse, through which Internet of Plots (IOP) modules will be prepared for various crops on the scientific principles of temperature, humidity, photosynthesis etc. in the greenhouse. In this field, both universities will work together so that such modern scientific technology is be developed for Haryana and made available to the farmers. This will increase the production, quality and possibilities of more income of horticultural crops.

          President of Kochi University, Japan, Prof. Ukeda Hiroyuki praised the efforts being made by the Haryana Chief Minister and Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister to increase horticulture farming in the state. He said that a historic agreement has been signed today.

          On this occasion, Additional Chief Secretary, Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Department, Dr. Raja Sekhar Vundru, Additional Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Dr. Saket Kumar, HoD-Special of Horticulture Directorate, Sh. Arjun Singh Saini, Research Director Prof. Ramesh Goyal, Registrar of MHU Karnal, Sh. Suresh Saini and members of Japanese delegation along with other officials were present.

Chandigarh: In a pioneering move towards enhancing horticultural practices, the Haryana Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the University of Birmingham to establish the first-of-its-kind Haryana-UK Centre of Excellence on Sustainable Crop Post-Harvest Management and Cold Chain for horticulture crops. The state-of-the-art centre, located in Panchkula, aims to significantly reduce post-harvest losses while maintaining the quality and freshness of horticultural produce from farm to consumer.

The MoU was signed in the presence of Haryana Chief Minister Sh. Nayab Singh Saini and Haryana Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Sh. Shyam Singh Rana.

On behalf of the Haryana Government, the MoU was signed by Additional Chief Secretary Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department, Sh. Raja Shekhar Vundru, while Prof. Robin Mason, Pro-Vice Chancellor (International), University of Birmingham, signed on behalf of the university.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Chief Minister Sh. Nayab Singh Saini said that Haryana, being the food bowl of India, is rapidly diversifying into fresh fruits and vegetables. This expansion calls for the effective management of the cold chain to minimize post-harvest losses in the sector. He further said that the Centre of Excellence will play a crucial role in ensuring quality, reducing wastage, and supporting the agricultural community in Haryana.

The Centre of Excellence will serve as a comprehensive research and testing hub under one roof, dedicated to improving the post-harvest management of fruits and vegetables. It will also provide vital research and testing services for students and researchers from CCS Haryana Agricultural University (CCS HAU), Hisar and Maharana Pratap Horticulture University, Karnal allowing them to undertake studies and experiments in the fields of post-harvest management and cold chain technology.

Key objectives of the Centre include reducing post-harvest losses by developing guidelines and protocols to mitigate such losses; fostering cold chain innovations by providing testing facilities and supporting advancements to ensure an efficient cold chain for horticultural products; nurturing tech start-ups by offering incubation support for cold chain technologies; driving sustainable practices through cutting-edge research on energy-efficient cold chain solutions and the development of sustainable business models; and establishing a comprehensive national framework for cold-chain practices and post-harvest management (PHM), aimed at curbing horticultural produce wastage.

In addition to its core research activities, the Centre will provide training, technology demonstrations, and incubation facilities for businesses and farmers, helping them adapt and thrive in a rapidly evolving agricultural landscape.

The Haryana Government has allocated 15 acres of land adjoining the Directorate of Horticulture, Sector 21, Panchkula, for the development of the CoE-SPMCC. The Centre will feature a training centre, technology demonstration area, testing centre, and technology incubation centre.

With this collaboration, Haryana is poised to set a benchmark in sustainable crop post-harvest management and cold chain practices, contributing significantly to reducing food waste and enhancing the profitability and sustainability of horticultural farming.

Experts from the University of Birmingham are leading a consortium of UK and international universities to provide technical assistance in developing the Centre in Panchkula. The consortium includes Heriot-Watt University, Cranfield University, London South Bank University, and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). This collaborative effort has driven the design and establishment of the Centre, with the University of Birmingham taking the lead on resilient systems approaches to energy and cooling, energy transitions and storage, and understanding the social impacts of these technologies.

Additional Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Dr Saket Kumar, HoD Horticulture Department Dr Arjun Singh Saini and other officers were also present on this occasion.

Chandigarh, February 15, 2025 – Haryana Energy Minister, Sh. Anil Vij conducted a surprise inspection at the Rajiv Gandhi Vidyut Bhawan, UHBVN, Rohtak, on February 2, 2025. During this, he reviewed the pending electricity complaints at the Bijli Seva Kendra, Rohtak Circle and found that several complaints were not resolved within the stipulated four-hour timeframe. Following this, he directed the Executive Engineer, Operation Circle, UHBVN, Rohtak, to investigate the matter and sought explanations from the concerned officers and staff. 

During the investigation, a total of six complaints were found out, out of which four were resolved on time, while two were delayed. These two complaints were related to Jai Narayan from the village of Hamayupur, whose grandson, Rahul had complained regarding disruption of power supply on AP connection.

It was found that Junior Engineer (JE) Vikas Kaushik and Lineman Rambir were responsible for the delay. On February 1, 2025, at 6:40 AM, a fault occurred in the 11 kV line of the Hamayupur AP feeder, which was repaired by 10:25 AM but power supply to the affected area was not restored. This shows JE’s lack of concern, as he did not inspect the site personally despite being in charge. Besides this, he also allowed his subordinates to work without  PTW approval, which posed a risk of serious accident. This was deemed a severe act of negligence. 

Accordingly, Executive Engineer, Rohtak has suspended Lineman Rambir with immediate effect, while the case against JE Vikas Kaushik has been sent to UHBVN Headquarters, Panchkula for disciplinary action.

After reviewing the case, UHBVN Panchkula has issued a charge sheet to JE Vikas Kaushik and directed him to give an explanation within 30 days. If the reply is not submitted within the stipulated time limit, it will be considered as an admission of guilt and further action will be taken against him.

Chandigarh, February 15 – Haryana Chief Minister, Sh Nayab Singh Saini said that cancer is a serious illness, but if its symptoms are detected early, treatment is possible.

            He made these remarks while meeting with children who are cancer survivors, along with their parents and doctors, at Haryana Bhawan in New Delhi on Saturday, in observance of International Childhood Cancer Day.

            The Chief Minister extended his blessings to the cancer survivor children, wishing them a bright future. The children presented him with artwork created from their handprints, which the Chief Minister signed, while also sharing a message encouraging greater awareness of childhood cancer. He said that the incidence of cancer has been rising steadily in recent years, affecting people across all age groups. Raising awareness is crucial in preventing the disease, he said that with timely recognition of its symptoms, treatment is possible through proper examination.

            The Chief Minister also took time to engage with the doctors from Fortis Hospital in Gurugram who accompanied the children, commending their efforts in helping the children recover from this serious illness. It is noteworthy that the Haryana government is taking extensive measures to raise awareness about cancer and provide support for those affected. Cancer patients in the state are offered free bus travel on Haryana State Transport buses, as well as a monthly pension through social security programs. In addition, awareness rallies, seminars, and health camps are being organized across Haryana to further educate the public. Health services for cancer patients are also available through institutions such as Atal Cancer Hospital in Ambala, PGIMS Rohtak, National Cancer Institute in Jhajjar, and various Day-Care Centers.

Dr. Vikas Dua, Dr. Arun Daneva, Dr. Sohini, Dr. Swati, Dr. Sunisha, Dr. Yash Rawat, Abhishek Sharma from Fortis Hospital and parents of the children were also present on this occasion.