Haryana witnessing rapid growth: Governor (The Hindu 27 January 2011)

Haryana Governor Jagannath Pahadia on Wednesday said that the State was witnessing rapid growth in all sectors including agriculture, education, sports, industries, health, information technology, tourism, social welfare, water supply and sanitation and it had preserved its rich cultural heritage.
Speaking at Republic Day celebrations after unfurling the National Flag at Panchkula near here, he said the supreme sacrifice of martyrs and freedom fighters “gave us the most cherished and priceless gift of freedom”. Describing the Indian Constitution as “unique”, he said it enshrined the ideals of equality, justice, liberty and fraternity.
Asserting that Haryana was on the fast track of development, he said sportsmen and sportswomen from the State had brought glory to the nation with their sterling performance in the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games.
He also conferred a bravery award on ten-year-old Prachi, a resident of village Muradgarh Indri in Karnal district and nine-year-old Vishal of village Asaudah in Jhajjar district. Meanwhile, addressing the Republic Day function in Kaithal, Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda announced that a 1,500-MW gas-based power plant would be set up in Faridabad and efforts were on to make the State self-reliant in power by 2012. Stating that his regime had inherited power shortage, he said it was decided to generate 5,000 MW of power and now the power generation capacity had increased to 3,480 MW as against 1,587 MW in 2004-05.
Water conservation being the top priority, 2011 is being observed as ‘Water Conservation Year', he added.
He claimed that all-round development had been made during the past six years and the State's land acquisition policy had come out as a model for the whole country. “We understand the sentimental attachment the farmer has for his land and the new land acquisition policy has been framed while keeping this relationship in mind,” he added.
A new industrial and investment policy is being implemented to create more job opportunities for the youth as more industries would be set up in the industrially-backward areas of the State.Meanwhile, Haryana Finance and Forests Minister Ajay Singh Yadav announced that employees of the Forest Department would get promotion on the pattern of Police Dept.
They would also be given uniforms as per a proposal approved by Mr. Hooda. Unfurling the National Flag at Kurukshetra and referring to the “sound financial position of the State”, Capt. Yadav said the Plan budget had increased to Rs.18,620 crore in 2010-11 from Rs.2,108 crore in 2004-05. The recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission had also been implemented, he added.