Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini attended the Mahasatsang organized by Guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Ji in Karnal on Tuesday. Addressing the gathering, he stated that the Samarpan Mahasatsang is an invaluable gift, guiding us toward the right direction in life. By embracing the teachings of Guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Ji, we can lead happier and more peaceful lives. He further expressed that it is a great blessing for both Haryana and Karnal to have this land sanctified by the divine sermons of the saints.
On this occasion, Chief Minister Sh Nayab Singh Saini first sought blessings from Guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Ji.
He expressed, “I have come to the Samarpan Mahasatsang to seek blessings for public service and the happiness and prosperity of the people of the state.” He went on to acknowledge that Guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Ji founded the ‘Art of Living’ organization in 1982 for the betterment of humanity. Through this initiative, he has guided millions towards peace, balance, and harmony. “Gurudev Ji, you are a symbol of simplicity, service, knowledge, and sacrifice. You are leading a spiritual revolution, showing a new path to the world. You have traveled across many countries, tirelessly working to promote peace, cooperation, and brotherhood worldwide.
*We adopt peace and harmony in our lives, and it spreads in society– Chief Minister*
Chief Minister Sh Nayab Singh Saini emphasized that by embracing peace and harmony in our lives, we contribute to spreading these values throughout society. He commended Guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Ji for his efforts to unite every section of society through Mahasatsang. “India is the sacred land of sages, saints, mahatmas, pirs, and prophets,” he said, adding that this great land symbolizes knowledge, devotion, power, and action. Since the Vedic period, an unbroken stream of mutual love and brotherhood has flowed across this land. He further highlighted that our culture is rich in values such as universalism, Antyodaya, Sarvodaya, charity, tolerance, generosity, global vision, harmony, simplicity, and modesty. The Chief Minister urged the new generation to adopt our ancient culture and traditions.
On this occasion, Education Minister Sh Mahipal Dhanda, Karnal MLA Sh Jagmohan Anand, Assandh MLA Sh Yogendra Rana, and other distinguished guests were also present.
*Education Minister seeks blessings from Sri Sri Ravi Shankar*
Haryana Education Minister, Sh. Mahipal Dhanda, humbly bowed at the feet of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Ji Maharaj during the Samarpan program organized by Art of Living and sought his blessings. The minister expressed gratitude for Maharaj Ji’s presence in the holy land of Karnal, extending a warm welcome. He acknowledged that the company and blessings of such a revered soul had truly enriched their lives. He said that the darshan and blessings should inspire courage and determination to walk the path of righteousness, guiding others to pursue a life of welfare and peace.
*Nomination papers of 55 candidates for Mayor post, 268 for President post found to be correct: State Election Commissioner*
Chandigarh, February 18 – Haryana State Election Commissioner Sh. Dhanpat Singh said that in the Urban Local Body elections, except Panipat Municipal Corporation, after scrutiny of nomination papers in all other local municipal bodies, nomination papers of 55 candidates for the post of Mayor in the respective Municipal Corporations, 268 for the post of President in Municipal Councils and Municipal Corporations and 2874 for the post of ward members were found to be correct.
The State Election Commissioner said that nomination papers of 6 candidates in Municipal Corporation Faridabad, 2 in Gurugram, 7 in Manesar, 9 in Hisar, 6 in Karnal, 5 in Rohtak and 6 candidates for the post of Mayor in Yamunanagar Municipal Corporation were found to be correct.
He further informed that nomination papers of 5 candidates for Municipal Council Ambala Sadar, 14 for Pataudi Jatoli Mandi, 6 for Thanesar and 9 for Sirsa for the post of President have been found to be correct.
Similarly, nomination papers of 11 candidates for Nagar Palika Barara, 19 for Bawani Khera, 25 for Loharu, 9 for Siwani, 4 for Jakhal Mandi, 13 for Farukh Nagar, 12 for Narnaund, 10 for Beri, 15 for Julana, 12 for Kalayat, 10 for Siwan, 3 for Pundri, 4 for Indri, 8 for Nilokheri, 13 for Ateli Mandi, 8 for Kanina, 14 for Tawadu, 9 for Hathin, 6 for Kalanaur, 8 for Kharkhoda and 7 candidates for the election of the post of President in Radaur have been found to be correct.
He said nomination papers of 6 candidates were found to be correct for the by-election for the post of Mayor of Ambala Municipal Corporation and 8 candidates for the by-election for the post of Mayor of Sonipat Municipal Corporation. Nomination papers of 5 candidates were found to be correct for the by-election for the post of President of Sohna Municipal Council, 4 in Assandh Municipal Council and 5 in Ismailabad. Along with this, nominations of 2873 candidates were found to be correct for the post of ward members in all the concerned Municipal Corporations, Municipal Councils and Municipalities.
The State Election Commissioner said that those candidates who want to withdraw their nominations can do so on 19th February between 11 am to 3 pm. The candidates who remain in the fray after 3 pm on 19th February will be allotted election symbols on the same day. After this, the list of candidates contesting the elections and polling stations will be pasted at the designated place on 19th February itself. Voting for all these posts will be held on 2nd March from 8 am to 6 pm.
He informed that nomination papers for Nagar Nigam Panipat will be filled on all working days from 21st February to 27th February except gazetted holidays. After this, scrutiny of nomination papers will be done on 28th February. After that, candidates who want to withdraw their nomination can do so on 1st March between 11 am to 3 pm. On the same day, after 3 pm, election symbols will be allotted to the candidates. On 1st March itself, the list of candidates contesting the election and polling stations will be pasted in public places. After this, voting will be held on 9th March from 8 am to 6 pm. After the completion of the entire election process, counting of votes will be done on 12th March from 8 am and the election results will be declared on the same day.
Women purchasing daily kitchen products in large numbers at Surajkund Mela
Kitchen products available at various shops near gate No. 1
Women are purchasing kitchen products in large numbers at the 38th Surajkund International Crafts Mela. These products are designed to make daily kitchen tasks more efficient and time-saving. Many women have shown a keen interest in these items, seeking ways to simplify their cooking and preparation routines. Akash, owner of shop number-27 near Gate No. 1, shared that his stall is witnessing a high demand for stain removers, which allow people to remove stains from clothes without the need for water.
Oil-absorbing magic towel
Women are also purchasing magic towels in large numbers at this shop. Akash explained that the magic towel absorbs oil stains, and once the towel is rubbed in water, the oil vanishes without the need for soap or detergent. The oil absorbed by the towel disappears automatically when it is rinsed, making it a convenient and effective solution for stain removal. Similarly, women are purchasing sink wires in large numbers. These sink wires allow for the easy removal of waste stuck in sink pipes while washing utensils. Additionally, face massagers and other essential items are also being bought in significant quantities. It was mentioned that, in today’s fast-paced world, these products are like inventions for working women. With their help, women can save time and complete tasks in the kitchen more quickly.
Chairman Sh. P.K. Das sets remarkable record by settling 214 cases in just 10 months
P.K. Das, Chairman of the Haryana State Environmental Impact Assessment Authority (HSEIAA), has set a remarkable record by successfully settling 214 cases during his tenure of about 10 months. Many companies bringing significant projects in the state have expressed gratitude to Sh P.K. Das for receiving Environmental Clearances (EC) promptly, enabling smooth project progress without delays.
Giving information in this regard, an official spokesperson said that the total cost of projects granted environmental clearance during the 10-month tenure of Sh. P.K. Das amounts to Rs. 2,62,670 crores. Notably, private companies involved in these projects have committed to contributing Rs. 163 crores towards improving the condition of government schools in the state.
During Sh. P.K. Das’s tenure as Chairman, several important projects were granted early environmental clearances, facilitating their timely progress. Notable projects include the Mata Amritanandamayi Hospital in Faridabad, AIIMS in Rewari, Kalpana Chawla Medical College in Karnal, Government Medical Colleges in Yamunanagar and Sirsa, the Civil Aviation Cluster in Hisar, and the Maruti Industry in Kharkhoda.
Sh. P.K. Das said that significant efforts have always been made to ensure the rapid development of the state. In Authority “my priority has been to work in a transparent and efficient manner,” he remarked. He said that these companies were asked to invest Rs. 163 crore for the development and improvement of infrastructure in schools located near their project sites. Additionally, the Authority has made it clear that companies operating in the mining sector must take responsibility for maintaining the roads of Panchayats. Furthermore, they are required to develop a fruit tree garden on five acres of Panchayat land and hand it over to the Panchayat for long-term sustainability.
Dr. Vivek Joshi appointed new Election Commissioner of India
Dr. Vivek Joshi, a distinguished 1989-batch IAS officer from the Haryana cadre, has been appointed as the new Election Commissioner of India.
The announcement came after a selection committee, chaired by Prime Minister Sh Narendra Modi, recommended Dr. Joshi’s name for the esteemed position. He will join the three-member Election Commission, which includes Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sh Gyanesh Prakash and fellow Election Commissioner Sh Sukhbir Singh Sandhu.
Dr. Joshi, who has been serving as the Haryana Chief Secretary since November, 2024, brings with him a wealth of experience in public administration. He was repatriated to Haryana in October 2024 at the request of the state government and subsequently appointed to the role of Chief Secretary.
Prior to his appointment in Haryana, Dr. Joshi had an extensive tenure in central deputation with the Government of India. He served as Secretary of the Department of Personnel and Training in the Union Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances, and Pensioners. His illustrious career also saw him holding the position of Secretary in the Department of Financial Services and as the Registrar General & Census Commissioner of India in the Ministry of Home Affairs. His tenure with the Government of India spanned from 2001 to 2006 and again from 2010 to 2017, and from 2019 to 2024.
Before his central deputation, Dr. Joshi held several significant roles in Haryana, including Chief Executive Officer of the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority, Principal Resident Commissioner in New Delhi, Member Secretary of the 5th State Finance Commission, and Commissioner for Ambala Division. He has also served as Deputy Commissioner for Hisar, Jind, and Panchkula, among other positions.
As Haryana’s Chief Secretary, Dr. Joshi has been at the forefront of several key initiatives aimed at improving governance and public welfare. One such initiative was the “Swachh Haryana Mission,” launched in December 2024. The campaign, which ran until January 31, 2025, focused on enhancing cleanliness in government offices across the state, optimizing office spaces, and disposing of outdated materials.
Dr. Joshi holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from IIT Roorkee and a PhD in International Economics from the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva, Switzerland. His remarkable academic and professional background positions him as an asset to the Election Commission, where his leadership and expertise will be significant in ensuring the smooth functioning of the country’s electoral processes.
Chairman Sh. P.K. Das sets remarkable record by settling 214 cases in just 10 months
P.K. Das, Chairman of the Haryana State Environmental Impact Assessment Authority (HSEIAA), has set a remarkable record by successfully settling 214 cases during his tenure of about 10 months. Many companies bringing significant projects in the state have expressed gratitude to Sh P.K. Das for receiving Environmental Clearances (EC) promptly, enabling smooth project progress without delays.
Giving information in this regard, an official spokesperson said that the total cost of projects granted environmental clearance during the 10-month tenure of Sh. P.K. Das amounts to Rs. 2,62,670 crores. Notably, private companies involved in these projects have committed to contributing Rs. 163 crores towards improving the condition of government schools in the state.
During Sh. P.K. Das’s tenure as Chairman, several important projects were granted early environmental clearances, facilitating their timely progress. Notable projects include the Mata Amritanandamayi Hospital in Faridabad, AIIMS in Rewari, Kalpana Chawla Medical College in Karnal, Government Medical Colleges in Yamunanagar and Sirsa, the Civil Aviation Cluster in Hisar, and the Maruti Industry in Kharkhoda.
Sh. P.K. Das said that significant efforts have always been made to ensure the rapid development of the state. In Authority “my priority has been to work in a transparent and efficient manner,” he remarked. He said that these companies were asked to invest Rs. 163 crore for the development and improvement of infrastructure in schools located near their project sites. Additionally, the Authority has made it clear that companies operating in the mining sector must take responsibility for maintaining the roads of Panchayats. Furthermore, they are required to develop a fruit tree garden on five acres of Panchayat land and hand it over to the Panchayat for long-term sustainability.
Haryana ACS issues stringent directions for MTP & Ultrasound Centres inspections
Haryana Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) for Health and Family Welfare, Sh. Sudhir Rajpal, has issued a stern directive to officials of the Health Department to conduct thorough inspections of all MTP (Medical Termination of Pregnancy) and Ultrasound Centres within this week. Stringent action will be taken against any centres found violating health authority norms, with non-compliance treated as an immediate violation.
He also instructed that if any doctor is found involved in malpractices at these centres, the Health Department must notify the Haryana Medical Council for the immediate cancellation of their medical registration.
In a review meeting with the officers of the Health and Women & Child Welfare Departments here today, Sh. Sudhir Rajpal made it clear that those involved in illegal practices, particularly sex determination and gender-based discrimination, will face severe consequences. “Our priority is to ensure a balanced gender ratio in Haryana, and we are on track with the success of the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) program. Anyone found violating these crucial norms, especially in malpractices such as sex determination, will not be spared,” he added.
Further tightening the controls, the ACS ordered the Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) to track and analyze all abortion cases and maintain a close watch on MTP centres to prevent any unethical practices. He said that all ultrasound machines must have functional trackers that send SMS alerts to health authorities if sex-determination tests are performed.
In addition, Sh. Sudhir Rajpal suggested exploring the possibility of providing Rs. 100 incentive to pregnant women who will do self-registration on the State portal, an initiative currently under consideration.
It was informed in the meeting that Haryana has successfully improved its sex ratio at birth by taking strict punitive actions against sex-selective abortion, providing counselling to parents and families, closely tracking pregnancies, and running awareness campaigns aimed at changing societal perceptions about the value of girls.
This meeting was attended by DGHS Dr Manish Bansal, Director PNDT Dr Simmi, Chief Medical Officer, Panchkula, Dr. Mukta Kumar, along with other senior officers from the Health and WCD Departments.
Honorary degree of Doctor of Literature conferred upon CM Nayab Singh Saini
Honorary degree given for outstanding contribution in social and political field by Kurukshetra University
Youth will have important contribution in building a ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047: Nayab Singh Saini
Haryana Governor and Chancellor of Kurukshetra University Sh. Bandaru Dattatraya today felicitated Chief Minister Sh. Nayab Singh Saini with the Honorary degree of Doctor of Literature for his outstanding contribution in social and political field at the 34th convocation of the university. Along with this, former ISRO Chairman Dr. S. Somanath, who did remarkable work in the field of science and increased India’s pride in space, was also honoured with an honorary degree and Goyal Peace Prize by the university.
In the convocation ceremony, degrees were awarded to about 2000 students, PhD degrees to 130 registered PhD holders and gold medals and merit certificates were awarded to 91 registered students.
Chief Minister Sh. Nayab Singh Saini said Prime Minister Sh. Narendra Modi’s vision is that when we celebrate 100 years of India’s Independence, our country should become a developed nation. India should become the dream of those revolutionary heroes who sacrificed everything to liberate India. By realizing this vision, the youth will have the most important contribution in making a ‘Viksit Bharat’ by the year 2047. Therefore, the youth have to become mentally, physically and morally strong and achieve the goals of life.
The Chief Minister congratulated and wished the students who were honoured with PhD degrees and received medals and said that this is not just a degree, but an honour for your hard work. He also congratulated the parents and faculty members of the students. He congratulated and wished former ISRO Chairman Dr. S. Somanath on being honored with an honorary degree and Goyal Peace Prize by the university.
Haryana created a distinct identity in education, sports, research and industrial sectors
Sh. Nayab Singh Saini said the first President of India, Dr. Rajendra Prasad laid the foundation stone of Kurukshetra University in 1956. Since then, the university has travelled a long journey of development. He said Haryana has made a distinct identity as a leading state in the country by progressing in education, sports, cultural, research and industrial sectors. Kurukshetra University has a significant contribution in this identity. He said on the strength of the capacity of such educational institutions, Haryana has fully implemented the National Education Policy.
Government’s goal is to provide quality education to every child
The Chief Minister said till a decade ago, daughters in Haryana had to go to far-flung colleges to get higher education. Due to this, most of the daughters were deprived of education. Understanding their pain, the government prepared a roadmap and resolved to establish a college every 20 kilometers. In the last 10 years, 79 colleges were opened, out of which 30 are for girls only. He said the government’s aim is that every child gets quality education near his home.
He said the state government is also emphasizing on skill development of youth along with education. As per the demand of the time, education from school to university has been linked with skills. Apart from this, effective steps are being taken like NSSQF in schools, PAHAL scheme in colleges, incubation centers in universities and MoUs with industries to provide training as per the needs of industries in technical institutes.
He said for this year’s budget, the government has also sought suggestions from the youth so that an inclusive and developmental budget of every section can be made. He said the youth of Haryana are touching new heights today through startups, which is a matter of pride.
2 lakh more jobs will be given in state
The Chief Minister said before 2014, there was such an environment in Haryana that the youth had to go to the MLA, minister or even the Chief Minister to get a government job. There was disbelief among the youth that getting education does not get a job. The present government has worked to break this notion in the last 10 years. Our government has provided government jobs to the youth without ‘kharchi-parchi’, and only on the basis of merit. In the last 10 years, 1.75 lakh youth were given jobs. In the coming time, the government will work to provide 2 lakh more jobs.
Earlier, Governor Sh. Bandaru Dattatraya, Chief Minister Sh. Nayab Singh Saini, Education Minister Sh. Mahipal Dhanda, MLA from Kalka Smt. Shakti Rani Sharma, former Chairman of ISRO Dr. Dr. S. Somanath and Vice Chancellor of Kurukshetra University Prof. Som Nath Sachdeva released a souvenir on the occasion.
Shruti Choudhry takes part in All India State Water Ministers’ Conference in Udaipur
For water management, government working on principle of reduce, recycle and reuse: Shruti Choudhry
State Irrigation Minister Smt. Shruti Choudhry attended the All India State Water Ministers’ Conference in Udaipur, Rajasthan. The Cabinet Minister said the country’s water crisis and rain water harvesting were discussed in the conference. She said this conference will prove to be an important milestone in shaping India’s water security future.
While addressing the conference, she said various schemes are going on in Haryana for water conservation. Adequate work is being done to deliver water to every district. For water management, the state government is continuously working on the three-R principles i.e. reduce, recycle and reuse. The state has so far achieved water saving of about 4.6 billion cubic meters (75%) of the target set in the integrated water resources schemes. Among the major achievements, direct sowing of rice has been adopted on a large scale in about 4.54 lakh acres. 788 effective ponds are being renovated and 12,000 crore liters of wastewater is being used for irrigation and urban management. Many projects to use treated wastewater for agriculture are about to be completed.
During this, she also urged the Government of India to expedite the final process of the MoU of the Kishau Dam Project. She said this will give us 709 cusecs of water, which will be helpful in achieving our goal of water secure Haryana. She also demanded the construction of Sutlej Yamuna Link Canal and Mavi Barrage from the Central Government.
Important aspects of water management are being discussed in the conference, including effective governance, cross-border cooperation, innovative financing and community participation. This conference will also emphasize on technical solutions, efficient water use and better coordination in various sectors. The conference, which will run till February 19, will take India closer to achieving the Prime Minister’s vision of a water-secure, developed India by 2047 where access to safe and adequate water will be ensured for all citizens.
