Oppn leaders unable to 'digest' fast progress: Hooda

Chandigarh, Dec 30 (UNI) Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda today said that those opposition leaders who had nursed their own interests in the name of mass welfare were not able to ''digest the unprecedented pace of development in the State''.

Speaking at an Abhinandan Samaroh organised by Punjabi Welfare Society in his honour in Hisar where he also laid the foundation stone of Punjabi Bhawan, he said during the last 33 months, the pace of development has got a new direction in the State so as to realise the dream of making Haryana 'number one' in all spheres of development. The Government was giving priority to development of both urban and rural areas.

He reiterated that efforts were being made to resolve the problems of unemployment and shortage of electricity. While pointing out the shortage of electricity was an inherited problem, he regretted that even after 40 years of Haryana's existence, the State's generation capacity was merely 1587 MW. The state was getting about 2000 MW of electricity from other projects as against the demand of 6000 MW.

This demand would further increase to 8500 MW by the year 2010.

He said that new power generation projects were being set up to add 5000 MW of power generation capacity and for next three years one power project would start generation every year.

While referring to the problem of unemployment, he said that industrialisation was the key to this problem. He pointed out that the government jobs were limited and the size of land holdings was also shrinking. Therefore, the government was now giving incentives for setting up of industries in backward areas of the state. The government was trying to provide employment to every family in the State.

He said that the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, being implemented in four districts of Haryana and during next financial year it would be implemented in the entire state.

He also announced to give Rs 31,000 to master Sahil Solanki for his outstanding performance among little champs at the 'Saa Re Gaa Maa' programme of Zee TV.

UNI