Chandigarh, April 28 The 16th Finance Commission held a key consultation meeting in Chandigarh with legislators from both the ruling and Opposition Benches in Haryana. Former Minister and senior Congress MLA Ashok Arora was among the leaders who actively participated and put forward strong recommendations on budget priorities and governance issues in the state.
Arora highlighted the urgent need for enhanced funding in health, education, and urban infrastructure.
“The Finance Commission asked us for inputs on Haryana’s situation. We suggested that the budgets for health and education must be increased to meet growing public needs,” he told IANS.
Referring to Haryana’s fiscal stress, he noted, “The state’s total budget is Rs 2 lakh crore, but around 32 per cent of it goes towards loan repayment and interest. We have recommended a one-time settlement to eliminate this debt burden and free up funds for development.”
Arora also raised concerns about the growing urban pressure in the state. “Haryana borders Delhi on three sides, and urbanisation is increasing rapidly in these regions. This leads to drinking water and sewage challenges. We have urged that the Urban Local Bodies (ULB) Department receive more funding to address this,” he said.
He further proposed easing the criteria under the ‘Mahagram Yojana’. “Currently, villages with over 10,000 population are eligible for sewer lines under this scheme. This limit should be lowered so more villages can benefit,” he added.
On a political note, Arora also announced that the Congress party will intensify its public outreach.
“The All India Congress Committee (AICC) has given a 40-day programme related to the 'Samvidhan Bachao' rally. We will implement it in Haryana as well under the banner of ‘Samvidhan Bachao Andolan’ now,” he said.
Flaying recent remarks from ruling party leaders, Arora said, “The comments being made against constitutional institutions are not casual — they are part of a conspiracy. We Congressmen will mobilise the public to resist this dangerous trend.”
He welcomed the Finance Commission’s approach of directly consulting elected representatives, saying it would lead to more effective and inclusive policy decisions.
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