Former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Tuesday described the recent Gazette notification issued by the Central Government on the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) as ‘completely anti-Haryana’.
Hooda said when Haryana was carved out of Punjab, clear rules were framed for the functioning of the BBMB to safeguard the state’s interests. These provisions, he noted, were designed to ensure a balanced representation of the partner states in key administrative roles.
He explained that earlier arrangements specified that the member in charge of irrigation on the Board would be from Haryana, the member handling power would be from Punjab, and the post of Chairman would not be assigned to Himachal Pradesh.
However, under the new notification, he alleged, these safeguards have been diluted as it now allows officials from any state to hold these positions. Hooda warned that this development raises serious concerns that Haryana’s rights are being undermined, pointing out that similar issues have surfaced in the past as well.
Hooda further alleged that while the ruling BJP is unable to secure Haryana’s rightful share of Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal water, the state’s interests in both water allocation and employment opportunities within BBMB are being consistently ignored. He criticised the silence of the state government on the issue, saying it reflects a lack of seriousness in protecting Haryana’s interests.
He also pointed out that even when Haryana’s recruitment quota in BBMB was earlier discontinued, the state government did not register any strong objection. “This silence is unfortunate,” he remarked.
Responding to a question on the long-pending SYL canal dispute, the Leader of Opposition said the Supreme Court had already ruled in Haryana’s favour several years ago. He added that despite the BJP being in power both at the Centre and in Haryana for several years, there has been no concrete effort to ensure the state receives its rightful share of water. He termed this inaction a betrayal of the people of Haryana.
Also read: Committed to the ideals of Ambedkar: Haryana CM
Turning to agricultural issues, Hooda criticised the procurement process in ‘mandis’, alleging that farmers are being burdened with complicated online systems and restrictive procedures. He said farmers are required to register on government portals before selling their produce, but these systems often crash during peak procurement seasons, creating difficulties.
He further explained that even after registration, farmers are required to obtain gate passes, which cannot be generated due to incomplete processes. In addition, he alleged that farmers are subjected to multiple layers of verification, including biometric checks, tractor registration details, background verification, and guarantor requirements.
According to Hooda, the entire system appears designed to deny farmers the Minimum Support Price (MSP). He alleged that the government’s focus seems more on irregularities than genuine procurement, claiming that similar issues were witnessed in previous seasons during paddy and potato procurement, and now concerns are emerging again in wheat and mustard procurement as well.
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