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Haryana Transport Minister Sh. Mool Chand Sharma announced that the state government will start direct bus service to Ayodhya from Faridabad, Gurugram, and Sonipat after the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya on 22 January 2024.

He also mentioned that in future if there is demand from other districts, direct bus service will start to Ayodhya from there as well.

Sh. Sharma made the announcement while addressing a gathering in Ballabgarh, Faridabad, after laying the foundation stone for 32 Streets at a cost of Rs. 1 crore.

“After the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony, numerous people from Haryana will visit Ayodhya to pay their respects. This new bus service will provide them with a convenient and affordable way to travel.”said the transport Minister.

Sh. Sharma also stated that the state government is working on providing better infrastructure in Ballabgarh, including roads and lanes. He said that 50 streetlights will be installed in City Park and 15 streetlights will be installed in Raja Nahar Singh Park at a cost of Rs. 15 lakh.

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Haryana Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Om Prakash Yadav participated as the chief guest at the Viksit Bharat-Jan Samvad Sankalp Yatra in the villages of Bhushan Khurd and Sobhapur in Narnaul.

The Viksit Bharat-Jan Samvad Sankalp Yatra, a campaign to reach the various welfare schemes of the central and state governments to the last person and to create a resolution for a developed India, reached the villages of Duloth Ahir and Nimbi in Mahendragarh block, RataKhurd and Rata Kalan in Ateli block, Bhushan Khurd and Sobhapur in Narnaul block, and Amarpura and Budhwal in Nangal Chaudhary block on Tuesday. The villagers welcomed the yatra with great enthusiasm.

While addressing the gathering, Sh. Yadav said that it is the collective responsibility of all of us to make India a developed nation in the next 25 years. He said that the government is reaching out to every village and every person to connect them with the government’s welfare schemes.

Sh. Yadav stated that the central and state governments have taken concrete steps to provide government services to the last person in society in the last 9 and a half years and these steps have helped to connect the last person with the mainstream of society.

Sh. Yadav praised the central and state governments for implementing schemes with the spirit of Antyodaya. He also encouraged the people to avail of the benefits of government schemes.

On this occasion, the citizens were also administered the pledge of developed India.

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Residents of rural areas of Haryana now have a direct online platform to voice their demands, complaints, and suggestions related to developmental works. The Haryana Government has introduced https://gramdarshan.haryana.gov.in/ portal for this.

A government spokesperson highlighted that the Gram Darshan Portal stands as a comprehensive, participatory, transparent, and accountable initiative. Its primary goal is to foster a closer relationship between elected representatives, government officials, and rural inhabitants. This user-friendly portal offers villagers a straightforward means to communicate their demands, grievances, and suggestions.

The spokesperson added that future development plans will be prepared based on the feedback received through this portal. Officials across departments have been directed to prioritize tasks pertaining to their respective domains, emphasizing the government’s commitment to address the public grievances.

Residents can file complaints on the Gram Darshan portal concerning their permanent residence village, as documented in their Parivar Pehchan Patra. The suggestions and demands submitted by villagers will be accessible to Sarpanches, Panchayat Committee members, Zilla Parishad members, as well as MLAs and MPs. Each public representative will view suggestions specific to their jurisdiction on a dedicated dashboard, enabling them to take actionable steps.

Upon submitting a suggestion or complaint on the portal, users will receive a unique ID via SMS. They will also be kept informed about any developments or actions taken regarding their submission through subsequent SMS updates.

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 On the occasion of New Year 2024, the Haryana Government has bestowed a significant gift of a cashless health facility upon government employees and their dependents. Governor Sh Bandaru Dattatreya in the presence of Chief Minister Sh Manohar Lal inaugurated the cashless health facility under Ayushman Yojana today.

The state government initiated the scheme on a pilot basis, initially covering employees from the Fisheries and Horticulture departments, offering cashless healthcare facilities starting November 1, 2023. Today, the coverage has been expanded to include all regular government employees. Furthermore, the scheme is being extended on a pilot basis to encompass employees of the Department of Horticulture and Fisheries, as well as IAS, IPS, and IFoS, along with their dependents. Implementation of this scheme is carried out through the Ayushman Bharat Haryana Health Protection Authority (State Health Authority).

Governor Shri Bandaru Dattatreya and Chief Minister Shri Manohar Lal also symbolically distributed Ayushman cards to the beneficiaries during the cashless health facility inauguration program organized here today.

All beneficiaries will greatly benefit from this cashless scheme as the procedures listed under it will be completely cashless and the hospitals will get their claims approved from a single platform within a specified time frame. The scheme will provide more efficient, seamless, hassle free and time bound services to the beneficiaries and other stakeholders.

The scheme not only covers six life-threatening emergencies i.e. cardiac emergency, cerebral hemorrhage, coma, electric shock, third and fourth stage cancer patients, and any kind of accidents as per the existing provisions, but it also covers all types of indoor treatments/day care procedures, catering to the health care needs. These services will be available to the beneficiaries in all the hospitals empaneled with DGHS under this scheme.

E-card/CCHF card will be issued to all the beneficiaries to avail benefits under the scheme in the empaneled hospitals. Beneficiaries can avail benefits using payee code, Aadhaar number or PPP number. The entire expenditure under the scheme will be borne by the state government.

On this occasion, Chief Secretary Mr. Sanjeev Kaushal, Chief Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Mr. Rajesh Khullar, Additional Chief Secretary of Health and Family Welfare Department Mrs. G. Anupama, Director General of Police Mr. Shatrujit Kapoor, Chairperson of Haryana Water Resources Authority Mrs. Keshni Anand Arora, State Election Commissioner Mr Dhanpat Singh and CEO of Ayushman Bharat Rajnarayan Kaushik and other officers were also present.

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Haryana Government has issued transfer and posting orders of 18 IAS officers with immediate effect. D Suresh has been posted as Principal Secretary, Human Resource Department against a newly created post.

Vijay Singh Dahiya, awaiting orders of posting becomes Commissioner, Karnal Division, Karnal relieving Saket Kumar of the said charge.

Amit Kumar Agrawal, Additional Principal Secretary to Chief Minister,  Director General, Information, Public Relations, Languages and Culture and Secretary, Information, Public Relations, Languages and Culture Department, Project Director, Chief Minister’s Good Governance Associates Programme, Secretary, Grievances Department and Director General, Art & Cultural Affairs, Haryana has been posted as  Additional Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Project Director, Chief Minister’s Good Governance, Associates Programme, Managing Director, Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam Ltd. relieving Mohammed Shayin IAS (HY 2002) of the said charge.

Ashima Brar, Director General, Secondary Education and Secretary, School Education Department, State Project Director, Haryana School Shiksha Pariyojna Parishad and Director General, Medical Education & Research, and Secretary, Medical Education & Research Department will be new Additional Principal Secretary to Chief Minister relieving Khetmalis Makarand Pandurang. She will also be Director General, Social Justice, Empowerment, Welfare of Scheduled Castes Backward Classes & and Antyodaya (SEWA). and Secretary, Social Justice Empowerment, Welfare of Scheduled Castes & Backward Classes and Antyodaya (SEWA) Department.

C G Rajini Kaanthan, awaiting orders of posting has been posted as Director General, Industries & Commerce, and Secretary, Industries and Commerce Department, Director General, Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises, Advisor, Civil Aviation and Secretary, Haryana Civil Aviation Department Vice Shekhar Vidyarthi who goes as  Director General, Archives, and Secretary, Archives Department, Director General, State Transport, and Secretary, Transport Department.

Phool Chand Meena, District Municipal Commissioner, Gurugram, Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, Gurugram and Chief Executive Officer, Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority, Gurugram has been posed as Managing Director, Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam Ltd in place of Amit Khatri who has been posted as Director, Town & Country Planning, and Special Secretary, Town & Country Planning Department, Director, Urban Estates, Director, Archaeology & Museums Haryana and Special Secretary, Archaeology & Museums Department, Chief Executive Officer, Haryana Kaushal Rozgar Nigam Ltd. Panchkula.

A.Sreenivas, Chief Executive Officer, Faridabad Metropolitan Development Authority, Faridabad and Managing Director, HARCO Bank has been given additional charge of Chief Executive Officer, Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority, Gurugram.

Mandip Singh Brar, Director General, Mines & Geology, Haryana and Secretary to Government, Haryana, Mines & Geology Department, Mission Director, Mukhya Mantri Antyodaya Parivaar Utthaan Yojna and Managing Director, Haryana State Warehousing Corporation Ltd. has been posted as Director General, lnformation, Public Relations, Languages & Culture, Haryana and Secretary, lnformation, Public Relations, Languages and Culture Department, Director General, Mines & Geology and Secretary, Mines & Geology Department, Mission Director, Mukhya Mantri Antyodaya Parivaar Utthaan Yojna.

Saket Kumar, IAS (HY:2005), Managing Director, Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitaran Nigam Ltd has been given the additional charge of Director General, Medical Education & Research and Secretary, Medical Education & Research Department.

Khetmalis Makarand Pandurang, Deputy Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Haryana, Chief Executive Officer, Haryana Kaushal Rozgar Nigam Ltd. Panchkula and Director General, Social Justice, Empowerment, Welfare of Scheduled Castes & Backward Classes and Antyodaya (SEWA) and Secretary, Social Justice, Empowerment, Welfare of Scheduled Castes & Backward Classes and Antyodaya (SEWA) Department has been posted as Managing Director, Haryana State Warehousing Corporation Ltd, CEO, Panchkula Metropolitan Development Authority, Panchkula, CEO, Sonipat Metropolitan Development Authority, Sonipat.

Jaibir Singh Arya, awaiting orders posting becomes Special Secretary, Finance Department against a vacant post.

Rajnarayan Kaushik, Special Secretary, Health Department and Mission Director, National Health Mission, Haryana and Chief Executive Officer, Ayushman Bharat Haryana Health Protection Authority has been posted as Director, Agriculture in place of Narhari Singh Banger who becomes District Municipal Commissioner, Gurugram, Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, Gurugram.

Jitender Kumar-I, District Municipal Commissioner, Rohtak and Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, Rohtak has been posted as Director, Secondary Education, Haryana and Special Secretary, School Education Department, State Project Director, Haryana School Shiksha Pariyojna Parishad.

Aditya Dahiya, Special Secretary, Human Resources Department, Special Secretary, General Administration Department and Secretary, Central Committee of Examinations has been  posted as Special Secretary, Health Department and Mission Director, National Health Mission, Haryana, Chief Executive Officer, Ayushman Bharat Haryana Health Protection Authority.

Sachin Gupta, District Municipal Commissioner, Panchkula and Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, Panchkula has been given the additional charge of Administrator (HO), HSVP, Panchkula against a vacant post.

IEP Chandigarh

Haryana School  Education, Forests, and Environment Minister Kanwar Pal called on the youth to lead India to prosperity as they are the generation of ‘Amrit kaal’ and should contribute to make India a developed Nation. Kanwar Pal while addressing the Viksit Bharat- Jan Samvad Sankalp Yatra in the villages Shahzadwala, Sipianwala, Chuharpur Mangalsingh, Tibbi Raiyan and Tugalpur of Jagadhari region of Haryana, said that the youth are the future of India and they have the power to make the country a developed nation.

He praised the central government’s welfare schemes, such as Ayushman Bharat, Startup India, Jal Jeevan Mission, and Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana. He said that these schemes are helping to improve the lives of lakhs of Indians.

Kanwar Pal also praised the government’s efforts to reach out to the last person in the society. He said that government officers are now going door-to-door to provide benefits to eligible citizens. At the end of the event, participants took a pledge to make India a developed nation by 2047. A short film on the achievements of the central and Haryana governments was also screened.

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Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Sunday categorically said that the state government will not send its tableau in the rejected categories list of the Modi led Union government as the martyrs of the country don’t need NoC from BJP.

In a statement issued here today, the Chief Minister said that the great martyrs including Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Shaheed Rajguru, Shaheed Sukhdev, Lala Lajpat Rai, Shaheed Udham Singh, Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha, Mai Bhago, Ghadri Baabe and others cannot be kept in rejected category. He said that the union government is trying to belittle their contribution and sacrifice of these heroes by not including their tableaus in the Republic Day parade. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that this cannot be tolerated as it is the grave insult of these great patriots and national leaders.

The Chief Minister said that the Union government had in a letter written on December 30 asked the state government as per clause 8 of the MOU signed with the states for Republic Day parade, the State/UT, which will not be selected for Republic Day Parade will be given an opportunity to display the tableau during Bharat Parv to be organized at the Red Fort, New Delhi during January 23 – 31. He said that in this parv stalls of all States & UTs based on their famous food, cuisines, traditions, product, Handicrafts and festivals will be showcased. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that after the ‘Bharat Parv’ the tableaux of States/UTs may be displayed in the respective State’s/UT’s Functions as per their discretion.

However, the Chief Minister unequivocally said that the state will not send its tableaus as per it as the martyrs of the country don’t need NOC of BJP adding that Punjab knows how to respect the patriots and martyrs. He said that these are the heroes of the country and the entire country is indebted to them for their supreme sacrifices made for the nation. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the state government don’t need support of the union government to showcase their heroes rather it is capable enough to pay tributes to them.

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Haryana Principal Secretary, Labour Department, Mr. Rajeev Ranjan announced a significant initiative for the welfare of the laborers and workers in the state. The new system aims to streamline the application process for welfare schemes provided by the Haryana Labour Welfare Board and Haryana Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board.

According to Mr. Ranjan, the newly launched information system will furnish comprehensive details to beneficiaries of both boards, offering clear explanations for rejected applications through SMS notifications. Workers will now receive specific reasons for rejection, including information on document deficiencies or incomplete submissions.

The Principal Secretary said that this system ensures immediate responsiveness. Every rejected application will now be accompanied by detailed SMS explanations, clarifying the grounds for rejection, such as document inadequacies or incomplete information. Reminder SMS notifications will be sent on the 7th and 14th days following an objection, prompting timely responses. On the 21st day, a final reminder SMS will be sent, emphasizing the need to address objections promptly to avoid automatic rejection. Workers can conveniently reply using the provided link.

Mr. Ranjan said that this system not only simplifies communication but also facilitates beneficiaries in quickly addressing any issues with their applications. The objective is to ensure that every worker in Haryana can access their entitled benefits smoothly. The initiative is expected to reduce the time and effort spent by workers on the application process, enabling them to promptly improve applications and receive more benefits.

He further explained that in the previous system, workers only received rejection information via SMS without explanations, leaving them unable to identify mistakes and requiring repeated calls or in-person visits to labour offices. The new initiative aims to alleviate such difficulties and empower workers to apply again with improved applications more efficiently.

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Addressing a long-standing request from Haryana’s traders and business community to settle pending tax payments from before the implementation of GST, Chief Minister Sh. Manohar Lal today launched the One Time Settlement-2023 (OTS) Scheme through the Excise and Taxation Department. The scheme will be operational from January 1, 2024, to March 30, 2024.

From January 1, 2024, to March 30, 2024, businesses have the opportunity to settle pre-GST tax liabilities under the OTS-2023 scheme. Taxes are categorized into four groups, with exemptions from interest and penalties for cases related to seven tax acts in effect before GST. Additionally, Chief Minister Sh. Manohar Lal announced the opening of a GST Training Institute in collaboration with HIPA, Gurugram.

During the inauguration of OTS-2023 at Gurugram, on Sunday, the Chief Minister also extended New Year wishes to the state. Deputy Chief Minister Shri Dushyant Chautala, who oversees the Excise and Taxation Department, also addressed the programme.

Benefit of the Scheme will be available in four categories

Under the OTS scheme, the tax amount is divided into four categories, starting with an undisputed fee category for cases without dispute. Taxpayers will pay 100% of the amount in this category, with no penalties or interest.

For disputed taxes under Rs 50 lakh, taxpayers will pay 30% of the outstanding amount. For disputed taxes above Rs 50 lakh, they will pay 50%.

The third category applies to undisputed taxes assessed by the department where no appeal was made. Taxpayers will pay 40% if the amount is below Rs 50 lakh and 60% if it’s above Rs 50 lakh. This category also offers relief from penalties and interest.

The fourth category includes outstanding amounts due to differences in tax rates. Here, the government has discounted the amount, requiring taxpayers to pay only 30% of the total.

While offering tax relief, the OTS scheme also provides easy installment options. Taxpayers with outstanding amounts below Rs 10 lakh must pay the entire sum in one lump sum before March 30th. For Rs 10 lakh to Rs 25 lakh, the amount can be paid in two installments of 52% each. If the outstanding is more than Rs 25 lakh, the payment can be spread across three installments: 40% in the first 90 days, 30% in the next 90 days, and 30% in the final 90 days.

This One Time Settlement Scheme addresses outstanding tax issues from the Excise and Taxation Department until June 30, 2017. It specifically resolves concerns related to seven VAT-related acts, including the Haryana Value Added Tax Act, 2003, the Central Sales Tax Act, 1956, the Haryana Local Area Development Tax Act, 2000, the Haryana Tax on Entry of Goods in Local Area Act, 2008, the Haryana Luxury Tax Act, 2007, the Punjab Entertainment Fee Act, and the Haryana General Sales Tax Act, 1973.”

Expanding Welfare Programs

The Chief Minister emphasized that the dispute resolution program was born from a commitment to public welfare and societal service. The One Lump Sum Settlement Scheme-2023 stands as a testament to this dedication. He further highlighted the success of numerous programs in alleviating people’s struggles.

Urban Ownership Scheme Widens its Reach

Specifically, the Chief Minister announced the expansion of the Urban Ownership Scheme, an initiative granting ownership rights to shopkeepers occupying local body land. This expansion will now encompass shopkeepers who pay rent to the local body for their shops built on land managed by various departments. He reiterated the dual benefits of the scheme: providing relief to honest taxpayers while simultaneously boosting state revenue.

While addressing the gathering, Deputy Chief Minister, Sh. Dushyant Singh Chautala said that the Haryana Government has implemented this new scheme for the welfare of traders and industrialists. A new bill was also passed in the last assembly session for this purpose, enabling traders to receive exemptions in outstanding tax cases for the period till June 30, 2017. He said that when Chief Minister Sh. Manohar Lal discussed the implementation of the scheme, granting one-time exemption to traders in cases of outstanding tax amounts, he promptly gave his consent. Today, he himself has come to announce the program. He said that the state government, during its tenure, has initiated various schemes to provide relief to traders. Among these, a new scheme has been launched today, offering traders relief through the waiver of interest and penalties on seven types of outstanding taxes. Despite being a small state, Haryana ranks among the first five states in the country in terms of tax collection, owing to the cooperation of officers, employees, and taxpayers of the Excise and Taxation Department. Today, Haryana boasts the best infrastructure in the country regarding taxation.

The Deputy Chief Minister said that the state has collected Rs 46 thousand crore in taxes thus far. After the implementation of the new OTS scheme, if businessmen, chartered accountants, and tax lawyers cooperate, it is expected that tax collection in the state by March 31 can reach Rs 66 thousand crores. This surpasses the Chief Minister’s target of Rs 58 thousand crore for the department. Responding to the demands of traders and industry organizations, the government plans to establish branches of the GST Tribunal in Gurugram and Hisar. To modernize their working style and easily resolve GST and tax collection issues, employees and officers of the department have received training from national-level institutions such as CBI and Central Excise. He assured the businessmen and advocates present that if needed, a help desk and online chatbot would be established in the Resource Building for the new scheme.

Excise and Taxation Commissioner, Sh. Ashok Kumar Meena welcomed the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister to the programme. Principal Secretary of the department, Sh. Devinder Singh Kalyan, provided necessary information related to various aspects of the scheme and revenue collection in the state. Meanwhile, Sh. Bal Kishan Aggarwal, Chairman of Traders Welfare Board, Haryana, expressed gratitude to the Chief Minister for the schemes benefiting traders in the state. Various business organizations and the Tax Bar Association of the state thanked the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister by presenting shawls and bouquets on the occasion of the scheme’s inauguration.

Principal Advisor, Urban Development to Chief Minister, Sh. D.S. Dhesi, Gurugram Division Commissioner, Sh. RC Bidhan, Deputy Commissioner, Sh. Nishant Kumar Yadav, Police Commissioner, Sh. Vikas Arora, and other senior officers and dignitaries were also present at the event.