Centre's economic relief package will immensely benefit Haryana's MSMEs: Khattar

Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Saturday said the Rs 20 lakh crore economic relief package announced by centre will immensely benefit Haryana’s MSMEs and further strengthen Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Make in India' initiative.

In a televised address to the people, Khattar said a special cluster plan is being prepared for the expansion of the industrial sector in the 22 districts of the state.

The package will increase self-sufficiency of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME) as well as export opportunities of the state while helping the country become “Atmanirbhar”.

Khattar said Haryana had already taken an initiative in this direction in its 2020-21 budget, focused on four principles of ‘shiksha’ (education), 'swasthya' (health), 'suraksha' (safety) and 'swavlamban' (self-reliance).

The chief minister thanked the prime minister for including ‘Bhavantar Bharpai Yojana’; which was introduced in the state three years ago for promoting cultivation of vegetables, horticulture and other crops and for suggesting implementation of this scheme across the country.

He said that under the project, 500 Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) have already been set up in Haryana and now the number would be increased to 1,500 so that farmers can easily sell their crops.

He said the state government has also formulated a scheme under which the farmers can directly sell their produce from their fields.

The chief minister said that the Union government has announced an economic package for every sector to revive all kinds of industrial and economic activities.

He said that keeping in view the interest of all workers who may have been left with no work after some units stopped operations due to the COVID-19-triggered lockdown, a separate plan is being formulated to utilise these workers by imparting special skill training to them so that they can be gainfully employed as economic activities gradually restart.

The chief minister also thanked centre for making provisions in the economic package to strengthen mandis that include availability of dryers for removing moisture from the crops.

The Union government has formulated 'Pradhan Mantri Matsya-Sampada Yojana' under which a provision of Rs 20,000 crore has been made, he said, adding that as Haryana has a large scope of fisheries on saline and alkaline land, the farmers of the state can get benefits of Rs 400 to 500 crore.

Khattar said that the present circumstances demand that all of us bring about a change in our lifestyle and adopt social distancing as a way of life.

“We know that we will have to bring some changes in our daily lives. COVID-19 may have slowed down things, but we have to move forward and adapt the change. We will have to change our way of life,” he said.

“We have to move forward as per demand of the time, but social distancing will be key,” he said.

Referring to an earlier address by Modi wherein he gave a new definition to the coronavirus epidemic — 'Koi Road Par Na Nikle' (nobody should get on the road), Khattar said he would “slightly change” it to – ‘Koi Humko Rok Nahi Sakta’ (nobody can stop us) provided everyone follows the guidelines laid down by the government.

“We have to move forward, but with some system in place… In fourth phase of the lockdown, we may get some relaxations, but we will have to follow all the guidelines strictly,” he said.

“Many say our economy is facing problems because of lockdown and favour opening up of all things, I say our priority may be to set the economy right, but bigger priority is to stop prevent of spread of infection because if we fall in the trap of this corona, then no one can save our economy,” he said.