Deepender Singh Hooda: Making the Right Connection

One very important quality that a political leader must possess in a democracy like India is the willingness to involve the people of the country in the decision making processes. A responsible politician should be empathetic towards the needs of the people and be always ready to serve the nation. Shri Deepender Singh Hooda was first elected to the parliament when he was only 27 years old. Since then, he has come a long way in working towards the welfare of the society whether it is creating opportunities in the education sector or encouraging all round development in the rural infrastructure. His learning curve has been both fast and steep.

Growing penetration of internet in the remote areas of our country has made online media an attractive avenue for public to make their voices heard. As a young MP, he is aware of the important role that social media plays today in mobilization of public opinion. He has been actively using the social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter to get the feedback on the various policy works undertaken by both, the state and the central government. Shri Deepender Singh Hooda has recently shared a report card booklet in Facebook which contains the detailed summary of development and public welfare works accomplished by him in his Lok Sabha constituency Rohtak since the year 2005. Every day, few pages of the booklet are shared which gives sector wise analysis of the works done.

  Front cover page of the report card booklet shared by Shri Deepender Singh Hooda on Facebook 

One can see that being accessible to the people in his constituency and interacting with them every now and then has 

brought great results in reforming Rohtak. Launching new railway lines, establishing new universities and educational institutes, bringing world class research centres, construction of national highways, introducing schemes in the sports sector and many other notable initiatives are testaments to his efforts in changing the landscape of Haryana.

Putting Jhajjar on the world map

Haryana today is one of the most economically developed regions not only in India but also in South Asia. It has continued to experience sustained growth both in industrialization and agriculture under the present Haryana government. Congress MP, Shri Deepender Singh Hooda has been an active parliamentarian since the day he started his journey as a MP from Rohtak, and has been instrumental in formulating innumerable developmental projects for his constituency as well as Haryana as a whole. In 2010, Haryana added a great achievement to its credit when it became the only state in the country where the world’s first-of-its-kind Global Centre for Nuclear Energy Partnership is going to be built.

Shri Deepender Singh Hooda is a proponent of nuclear energy and acknowledges that if India wants to maintain its current momentum of growth then there is no alternative to nuclear energy for India. According to him, scientists from across the globe would make new inventions related to nuclear energy at the Global Centre for Nuclear Energy Partnership, which will be hugely beneficial and educative for our country. In January, 2014 Hon’ble prime minister of India Dr. Manmohan Singh laid the foundation stone for the Global Centre of Nuclear Partnership in Jhajjar, Haryana and congratulated the Haryana government, Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Shri Deepender Singh Hooda for making efforts and extending the full cooperation to the centre regarding the nuclear energy partnership and cancer institute.

Shri Deepender Singh Hooda during the foundation stones laying ceremony  in Jhajjar, Haryana.

It was actually Shri Deepender Singh Hooda who met the PM in Delhi in December and personally invited him to lay the foundation stone of the two important projects-The nuclear power plant at Fatehabad and Global Centre of Nuclear Partnership at Jhajjar. Also, the nuclear power plant to be set up at Fatehabad is the largest in the country which will produce around 2800MW of electricity.

The efforts of the Haryana government and Shri Deepender Singh Hooda have catapulted Haryana to be an international hub which is developed in every aspect.

Connecting Haryana

The road network of every country plays a very important role in developing the infrastructure of a country. It helps to stimulate the economy as well. The national highways connect capitals, ports, places of strategic importance of various states. A nationwide all weather roads in rural areas are also a critical link for progress. There is a link between rural connectivity and growth, education, employment and healthcare.  

Shri Deepender Singh Hooda is well aware that road transport is one of the most promising and powerful means for rapid industrialization and agricultural advancement in any state.  Realizing that there are still places in Haryana that are not adequately connected, he had urged the government for construction of new national highways. The new national highways to be constructed will be one from Meerut in UP to Narnaul in Haryana and another from Dwarka in Delhi to Jhunjhunu of rajasthan. Constructing these two highways is important as they would pass through various districts of Haryana and would further improve road transportation in the state. He had also called on Union minister for road transport and highways and met with the secretary, Union ministry of road transport and highways for presenting them with the charter of demands regarding the constructions of these highways. The MP is also excited about putting forth the demand for another important project namely four laning of Jhajjar-Farukhnagar (along with bypass)-Gurgaon.

 Shri Deepender Singh Hooda is involved in improving the rural connectivity also.  Earlier in Dec, 2013, he had expressed his gratitude towards Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh for approving the proposal of Padhan Mantri Gramin Sadak Yojana under which 1100 km long new roads would be built in rural areas of Haryana. He had said that good quality of sampark roads in rural areas of the state would lead to overall development of rural areas as these roads facilitate the movement of raw material and finished industrial products from one place to another. With so many projects taking place, one can understand the dedication that Shri Deepender Singh Hooda has for the development of Haryana.

 His constant endeavors for the advancement of Haryana and its people have made Shri Hooda one of the most promising political leaders in the country. 

Taking Forward the vision of Dr Ambedkar.

While addressing the public after unveiling the statue of Baba Ambedkar at a village in Rohtak in January, 2013, Congress MP Shri Deepender Singh Hooda had said that Baba Saheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar had dreamt of an educated society and the present state government has been making every effort to realize his dreams. Around 18 lakh children in Haryana were given being given scholarship under the Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar Scholarship Scheme. In the same event, Shri Hooda also said that the eight year tenure of the present government has ensured inclusive development in the state by implementing various schemes and programmes in all 36 biradaris.

Keeping in line with these claims by Shri Deepender Singh Hooda and taking the vision of Dr. Ambedkar forward, Haryana Government in February announced to provide Computer Tablets free of cost to scheduled cast (SC) students of diploma, under graduate or post graduate level of technical courses so as to provide them with greater learning opportunities outside the classroom as well. It will also facilitate the SC students to have access to the IT world and also attract them to pursue technical education.

The Computer tablets would be provided to SC students of government or government aided or private technical institutions like polytechnics, engineering colleges, MBA, MCA etc. colleges duly approved by the Haryana State Board of Technical Education or AICTE. The tablets would be distributed annually among the eligible beneficiaries. Around 45000 SC students is said to be going to be benefited by this programme.

Shri Deepender Singh Hooda and the Haryana Government consider education as a priority on the basis of which a civilized and egalitarian society is formed and hence, has always sought to link education with various development programmes. We appreciate the sincerity shown by the Government of Haryana to provide opportunities for those who have been kept at a disadvantage by the society for long, to ahead in life.

Haryana laps India’s first NCI

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in India, with about 2.5 million cancer patients, 1 million new cases added every year. In 2013, an estimated 10,86,783 new cancer cases were reported and the numbers are slated to rise to 1148692 in 2015 — a jump of over 5.5 per cent in two years. Tobacco remains the most prominent disease causing factor.

But the facilities to treat cancer in India are still highly inadequate and what with the ignorance among public and delayed diagnosis, the disease has got the dubious identity of being a ‘killer disease’. Many people are unaware that, if detected earlier, cancer can be treated and an individual can lead a healthy life.

Shri Deepender Singh Hooda realized that the treatment for this disease is very costly for a country like India with most of the poor people unable to afford it and it can only be solved by enhancing the research and the treatment facilities in the country. He then started working on a proposal to set up National Cancer Institute (NCI) at All India institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) campus of Haryana and was later tasked with pursuing the Expenditure Finance Committee’s clearance of the National Cancer Hospital.

Union Health & Family Welfare Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad being examined by AIIMS Director R. C. Deka as Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Rohtak Member of Parliament Deepender Singh Hooda look on after the inauguration of an outreach OPD of the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences at Badhsa in Jhajjar.

His efforts bore fruit in December last year when the Union Cabinet approved the proposal for setting up of NCI at AIIMS in Badhsa village of Jhajjar district. The approval would entail an expenditure of Rs 2,035 crore in the first phase and will provide world class healthcare facilities to the poor.  According to Shree Hooda, the mega project would be a land mark in the area of cancer research and shall lessen the deficit tertiary cancer care in the country.

We all think this is a great matter of pride for Haryana to be chosen as the only state in the country to house the first NIC. The people of Haryana would be forever grateful to Shree Deepender Singh Hooda and the Union Cabinet for their dedicated efforts.

Let’s build a Strong Community that is respectful towards Women: Shri Deepender Singh Hooda

Women in India constitute nearly 50 percent of the population. After a long struggle to break away from the stereotypical roles that society has put on women in India, their condition has improved a lot over the decades. Today there isn’t one task that men can do and women cant. In fact there have been many instances where a woman has outperformed a man.

 Shri Deepender Singh Hooda, a perfect son to his mother and a doting husband to his wife, always have high regards for the contributions made by women to the Indian society. The values with which he has grown up have taught him to be always respectful towards a woman but never condescending or patronizing. He knows that a woman has more roles to play in shaping the society not only to be just but also strong and forward thinking. He also knows that education is the most important instrument through which the women of our country can get ahead and live a respectful life. The existence of women is essential for the mankind to survive.  That is why he has from time to time come up with women centric programmes for implementation in his constituency. The congress MP from Rohtak believes, like his party, that empowerment of women in India should be one of the top agendas to look after.

The women’s day in Haryana was marked with many cultural and social activities like the women of several villages pledged to shun the veil or ghoonghat system at a state- level convention on social reforms. Various educational institutes celebrated the important day by organizing seminars and cultural programmes. The Haryana government honored women with excellence in field of education, sports, arts and culture etc. on this day.

Saluting the Heroes of the Nation

Border Security Force (BSF) is the border guarding force of the Government of India whose primary role is to guard India’s international borders and also prevent trans-border crime. Their contribution to protecting India from outside forces has been immense.

Congress MP from Rohtak, Shri Deepender Singh Hooda values the sacrifices made by the jawans and have always been passionate about their betterment. On 4^th March 2014, the young MP organized the foundation stone laying ceremony of group centre of BSF at Kaloi near Jhajjar town.  Shri Deepender Singh Hooda specially took time out from his busy schedule to manage the event and foresee that everything goes according to plan.

                             Sh. DS Hooda wuth Union Home MNinister for state

 Haryana Chief Minister Shri Bhupinder Singh Hooda, along with Union minister of State for Home RPN Singh, laid the foundation stone of the battalion headquarters of BSF.

 The BSF will:
1. Adopt Kaloi village and develop various amenities.
2. Open a Kendriya Vidyalaya.
3. Build a Command Hospital in which OPD will be open for the people of the area.
4. Start a permanent Central Recruitment Centre which will create employment opportunities for the youth.
5. Setup a Canteen facility for serving and Ex Servicemen of BSF, and 
6. Staff Quarters for people of Jhajjar serving in BSF and posted anywhere in the country.

CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda And Union MoS RPN Singh laying foundation stone of Group Centre of BSF

The Chief Minister also announced that retired employees of the Central Paramilitary Forces would be provided with all those facilities that were being offered to the ex-armed forces personnel in the state.

Earlier, in the month of January, Haryana Govt. announced that a member of the family of anyone from the armed forces, paramilitary corps or police force hailing from Haryana who is martyred in the course of duty will be given a job on compassionate grounds.

Infrastructure Development in Haryana

Infrastructure plays a crucial role in promoting economic growth and thereby contributes to the reduction of economic disparity, poverty and deprivations in a country. Access to education, health services, water and sanitation, road network and electricity by the people is the key to bring equitable development and social empowerment.

In an interview in February, 2014, Shri Deepender Singh Hooda said that he has always tried to bring about a positive change in the areas of infrastructure development, education, institution building etc. and worked to the best of his ability.

 The young MP from Rohtak proved his mettle once again to the people of Haryana. On 28^th February, various projects under UIDSSMT (Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme for Small and Medium Towns) for development of Roads, Drinking water facilities and Sewerage in Rohtak city, got approval from the Ministry of Urban development, Govt of India.

UIDSSMT projects have been very important to Shri Hooda, who has been working on it for quite some time. He also met Shri Kamal Nath, Hon’ble minister for Urban Development, during the winter session of Parliament in December 2013 and discussed about it at length. His hard work was finally paid off on February 28th, when the minister finally gave his approval for the clearance of such proposals.

UIDSSMT is a Govt of India scheme which aims at improvement in urban infrastructure in towns and cities in a planned manner. It is needless to say that the People of Rohtak will highly benefit from this scheme.

We congratulate Shri Hooda for this achievement and wish him luck for all such future endeavors.

Encouraging Excellence in Higher Education

Haryana government has always considered education as key to development and hence education for all is one of the primary objectives of Haryana state.

 Congress MP Shri Deepender Singh Hooda, who himself holds B.Tech and MBA qualifications and is currently a member in Council of Indian Institutes of Technology(IITs), is a firm believer in sustainable education and has always supported the Haryana government’s endeavor to develop education facility in every nook and corner of the state.

Keeping in line with the objective of promoting education, the new campus of the Central University of Haryana was formally inaugurated on 1^st March at Jant Palli village in Mahendragarh district. Haryana Governor Jagannath Paharia inaugurated the new campus where, at its first convocation, 113 students were conferred degrees. Pahadia also awarded gold medals to the outstanding students.

Chief Minister Shri Bhupinder Singh Hooda, who was also present on the occasion for presenting Ph.D degrees to researchers, said that the state government is committed to providing access for all to quality higher education.

At present there are 36 universities in the state, including 14 private ones. The Chief Minister expressed happiness that the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in Haryana is about 27.9 per cent whereas the national average was 20.4 per cent. By 2020, the number of students receiving higher education in the state is expected to more than double, he added.

A few days ago, six year old child prodigy Kautilya Pandit was also felicitated by the Haryana state assembly speaker. This shows the state’s sincerity in encouraging the youth to achieve excellence in education.

Haryana to house country’s largest terminal market

    
The foundation stone of the country’s largest international terminal market for fruits and vegetables was laid down by Congress MP and party vice president Rahul Gandhi and Haryana Chief Minister Shri Bhupinder Singh Hooda in Gannaur city of Sonipat district, Haryana on 24^th February. The project is constructed over 536 acres of land at an estimated cost of around Rs. 1500 crore. The project, situated in close proximity to NCR, will be hugely beneficial for the farmers of the northern states. It will also help in decongesting the Azadpur Mandi of Delhi.

 Union Minister for Rural Development, Jairam Ramesh, Congress General Secretary and party's in-charge for Haryana affairs, Shakeel Ahmed, senior Congress leader Renuka Chaudhary, Haryana Congress President Ashok Tanwar and a number of Haryana MPs, Ministers and MLAs from the State were also present on this occasion.

The market is being designed along the lines of Rungis International Market in France and will be equipped with all the modern facilities.  Apart from this a national horticulture arcade is also being developed in the market.

The planning has been done in such a way that concerned undertakings of both centre and state will be able find space for themselves. The intention is to not only promote state specific products but also provide national and international facilities for selling them.

Shri Deepender Singh Hooda has always been proactive in making strategies for development and prosperity of farmers in the country.

Shri Deepender Singh Hooda: All set to step up

As I have known Hooda family for long, it has given me great insight into how Haryana has transformed over the years. I personally admire the role Shri Deepender Singh Hooda has taken up once his father became the CM. Over the years, he seems to have made a mark for himself in the political echelons of the Congress as well as his home turf, Rohtak parliamentary constituency.

Politics came naturally to Shri Deepender, primarily due to his lineage. He made a mark by winning the first Lok Sabha election by huge margin- 2.32 lakh in 2005. This opportunity came his way when his father became the CM in 2005 and quit Rohtak parliamentary seat. His dream run continued in 2009 general elections as he won the seat by even bigger margin- 4.45 lakh.

Some might say his father legacy is why he has grown big in the Indian political arena. I will partly agree to this fact as it did provide him with a platform to launch himself as a dedicated politician. But since he won the elections in 2005, he scripted a whole new story by involving himself with the mass and addressing their issues.

One of his traits in influencing and winning people’s heart has been accessibility. Mr. Hooda has ensured that he remains accessible to people, not forgetting the significance of his constituents in his success. He always remains on the move, touring his constituency all the time.  Listening to the public’s issues and solving them has what made him a Heartthrob.

“It’s very satisfying that my efforts to bring several important projects to the Rohtak parliamentary constituency, such as the National Cancer Institute, have fructified. My performance in the Lok Sabha, where I was asked to lead the charge on behalf of the Congress and speak on FDI in multi-brand retail, was well received even by the Opposition. I was able to make an impression. And when the elderly put a hand on my head to bless me, that’s probably the best moment for me.” Hooda said when he was asked the high points of his five-year term.

In my next blog, I will talk about other facets of Shri Hooda’s personality and how he is constantly working towards the all rounded growth of Haryana.

Jhajjar: Next Gurgaon in the making

Skyscrapers and a Metro line; that is what we dream Jhajjar would look like in the next few years. Sounds like another political promise, doesn’t’ it? The difference here is that we have already started working in the right direction so that dream could be fulfilled in the right time frame.

Addressing a state-level Kisaan Sammellan in Jhajjar last month, honourable CM ShriBhupinder Singh Hooda said Jhajjar would be developed on the lines of Gurgaon. “Today, Jhajjar has a railway line, an AIIMS-2 and foundation stones have been laid for prestigious institutions like IIT, National Cancer Institute, and Global Centre for Nuclear Sciences," said ShriHooda.

A war museum was also inaugurated on the occasion. Jhajjar, the area that was once called a desert, has been transformed due to Congress led Haryana government's development schemes.

We have been encouraging farmers to use modern technology in farming.  Modern techniques will increase agriculture production by leaps and bounds.

In the past 9 years, several schemes have been started for the welfare of farmers. The electricity bills amounting to about Rs. 1,600 crore were written off by the government. Interest rate on crop loans was brought down from 11% to 4%.

We have been doing everything that we can to bring Jhajjar into the mainstream and the day is not far when we would count the town as one of the most developed towns in India.

Haryana Wants No Toll Plazas In Gurgaon

Traveling from Gurgaon to Delhi was never one of the best journey experiences; reason being the toll gate that comes across every time we pass through the state border. Also, the long queue adds to the bitter experience.

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the road transport ministry say that at present Haryana has no role to play in the out-of-court negotiation since the state government is not a party to the contract termination case. We have challenged it and the case is being heard by the Delhi high court.

The bankers for Gurgaon expressway are reworking their proposal to end the impasse on removal of the Delhi border toll plaza.  Haryana chief minister Shri Bhupinder Singh Hooda said that his government is for doing away with the two toll plazas in Gurgaon.

Double Power to Jind and Karnal

I am very proud to share this great news with you all that our efforts have finally yielded results. Jind and Karnal have been declared a part of the National Capital Region (NCR). Now these regions will get the benefits of schemes and projects meant for NCR.

It was 1985 when the NCR was formed. Since then the NCR map remained unchanged until June 2013 when Bhiwani and Mahendragarh districts of Haryana and Bharatpur in Rajasthan became a part of the National Capital Region. It was due to the support of Prime Minister Shri Manmohan Singh Ji and the efforts of CM Shri Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

The inclusion was approved by the National CapitalRegion Planning Board (NCRPB) which soon took up proposals on Jind and Karnal districts and today as I write, these districts are a part of NCR. The vision is to achieve faster growth and development in these regions.

 NCRPB prepares regional plan, which aims to promote growth and balanced development of the whole region. It includes economic development, efficient transport network, development of physical infrastructure, rational land use pattern, improved environment and quality of life and discipline.

Haryana's Kisan Sammelan

Touring villages and attending different meetings and rallies makes you feel more connected with the people as you get a firsthand experience about their problems. The recent tour of Jhaggar was very much enlightening. The pace at which villages are developing in Haryana makes me wonder, why it cannot be the same with every village of our country.

Economic system of our country totally depends on how we treat the farmers, the backbone of India’s economy. We read many articles on a daily basis which highlights the poor condition and the unfortunate occurrences where thousands of farmers commit suicide; the reason for it being the huge amount of debt which they are unable to pay back.  But in Haryana, the case has been different.  Under the leadership of Shri Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Congress led Haryana government has ensured the empowerment of the farmer community by helping them with different schemes from time to time.

Just a couple of days ago, I got a chance to attend the 3^rd State level Kisan Sammelan in Jhajjar district. I met some of the farmer-folks and talked to them for a while. “Congress led Haryana government has helped and encouraged them whenever they needed support from the government,” they said.  It was a splendid example of rural development in Haryana.

Developed Rewari

Rewari is a town that always needed special attention. Rich in history, Rewari is close to the heart of India, Delhi. Haryana government has taken it as a challenge to provide the town with all it needs to make it as one of the most developed towns not only in Haryana but in India too.

Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) failed to do the same in their governance which lasted for six years.  There was not a single university, government engineering college, government polytechnic or a Sainik school that was opened in the BJP rule. There was one agriculture university that existed which too was closed during the BJP regime. They failed miserably and were unable to initiate any development projects that could have benefited Rewari.

Haryana: 1100 Km Longer, 1100 times stronger

Availability of a good infrastructure facility is an essential aspect for the growth and development of a region. Our vision is to participate in the overall development of the state by creating good roads, bridges and other infrastructure facilities.

Good roads and bridges are required for a better and faster industrial development and it also improves the living standard of the people. We also ensure incorporation of advanced technologies in the construction of roads and bridges. Such infrastructural development takes care of the people living in those areas by providing them a number of work opportunities.

We would like to thank our Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Ji, as under the Pardhan Mantri Gramin Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) Haryana has been given approval to build 1100 km new roads. Focused on developing the rural areas, this scheme will bring new opportunities to the people residing in villages. The main motive of this project is to bring them to the main stream.

Haryana - On the path of growth and development

The bygone years provided major boost to the development of infrastructure in Haryana as many prestigious educational, health, road, rail network, power and industrial projects were started in the state.

A new chapter in developing Haryana as an education hub of international stature was added this year as foundation stones of ten prestigious educational institutions was laid in Rajiv Gandhi Education City (RGEC) near Sonipat. IIT Delhi also got land in RGEC. Besides that National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship & Management (NIFTEM), a Deemed University, was also inaugurated in Kundli on Delhi- Haryana border.