Irregularities committed during the tenure of previous government are being investigated
Chandigarh, November 23 – Haryana Chief Minister Mr. Manohar Lal said that irregularities committed during the tenure of previous government are being investigated one by one. Robert Vadra-DLF case is being investigated by the Dhingra Commission. Besides, investigation of Raxil and land acquisition in Manesar has been handed over to Central Bureau of Investigation.
Chief Minister said this in reply to a demand charter presented by a delegation of INLD led Leader of Opposition Mr. Abhay Singh Chautala, who called on him here today.
The Chief Minister said that as the government had unearthed a scam worth crore of rupees in wheat storage in Ambala, Pehowa, Ismailabad and Palwal, the same way, the paddy stock remains with millers would be investigated to have the actual figure of stock. Apart from a team headed by Deputy Commissioner in the district, an Additional Chief Secretary level officer would also be assigned the responsibility at headquarter for investigation of paddy stock.
He said that however any farmer did not complaint against any aarthis about irregularities in paddy procurement. Paddy is purchased every year and paddy procurement is made by rice millers on behalf of government agencies. Necessary quota for the same is determined. Farmer brings their crop in mandis with more than permitted moisture of 17 per cent. He said that he had himself visited Karnal mandi where moisture in crop was examined in his presence in two dheris and found 24 and 23.5 per cent moisture. Farmer and aartis mutually agreed for payment below MSP due to over and above the moisture content in crop. This practice is going on for past many years. He said that first time PUSA 1509 was purchased on MSP at the rate of Rs1450 per quintal. He said that government has also procured 1.68 lakh MT PUSA paddy. Any farmer has not yet file complaint against any aarthis. In case of getting complaint, action would be taken against such aarthis. In addition, agricultural engineers have been asked to develop combine machines with dryer facility.
On a demand concerning increased power tariff, the Chief Minister said that rates of electricity were decided every year by Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission. The HERC had recommended a hike of 15 per cent in electricity rates in year 2013, but previous government had not implemented it. HERC has passed an order on May 7, 2015 for implementation of new rates for current year. With the classification of slab from 1 to 800 units into three categories, the amount of bills was increased due to diverse entries in bills.
Taking immediate action on this, the government had again requested HERC for review of the revision. Now, the slab has been divided in three categories from 1 to 100, 101 to 500 and 500 to 800. With this, the average increase in electricity bills is 12 percent.
He said that under ‘Mahara Gaon-Jagmag Gaon’ scheme, 83 feeders have been identified for providing maximum electricity to rural consumers. The government would also conduct feederwise accounting of meters and would install separate meters of every village. He said that present government had inherited the losses of Rs. 28,000 of power distribution companies.