Benefit of Rs 500 crore availed under interest waiver: Hooda

Fatehabad, Jan 12 (UNI) Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda today said a number of marginal farmers, shopkeepers and artisans had taken the benefit of Rs 500 crore so far of the Interest Waiver ''Scheme of cooperative banks launched by the Government.

Addresing a 'Vikas' rally organised by the local MLA and Parliamentary Secretary Dura Ram at Anaj Mandi here the Chief Minister said under the scheme, the total benefit would be amounting to Rs 830 crore.

The Chief Minister said the Haryana government had declared this year as 'Education Year' and had launched an ambitious scheme to check the drop out rate of students in the government schools which would be implemented from April.

Referring to the scheme to motivate students belonging to Scheduled Castes, he said a sum of Rs. 100 for boys and Rs, 150 per month for girls would be deposited in their bank accounts from class I to V. Similarly, a sum of Rs 150 and Rs 200 respectively for boys and girls of class V to VIII.

Besides, all students from class I to V would be given free text books and note books, he said.

While giving a brief account of major achievments of the government during the last 33 months, the Chief Minister said the minimum wages of labourers had been increased to Rs 3510, being the highest in the country. Similarly, potable water connections were being given to eight lakh people belonging to scheduled castes free of cost under which they were being provided a 200 ltr tank and a tap free of cost.

Referring to the problem of power in the State, he said the Yamunanagar Thermal Power Plant had started generating 100 MW power which was synchronised on November 1 and two units of it would start generating 600 MW power by March end.

Lauding the role of Mr Dura Ram in the development of the Fatehabad constituency, the Chief Minister assured him of his support and added that the area would soon witness unprecedented development.

The Chief Minister also announced that an additional grain market would be constructed at Fatehabad. The 50-bed civil hospital at Fatehabad would be upgraded to 100-bed.

He also announced a grant of Rs one crore each for the native village of Mr Bhajan Lal, Mohammadpur Rohi, village Gorakhpur and Baropal for all-round development.

Later, he laid the foundation stone of 150 chambers to be constructed in the judicial premises.

UNI JN KD RN2057