Haryana Scheduled Castes Commission Chairperson Banto Kataria hoists the national flag and takes the salute during the Independence Day ceremony at New Grain Market, Chhachhrauli.
Haryana Scheduled Castes Commission Chairperson Banto Kataria hoisted the national flag at the sub-divisional Independence Day held at the New Grain Market in Chhachhrauli on Friday and inspected the parade before taking the salute of the marching contingents.
Addressing the gathering on the occasion, Kataria extended warm Independence Day greetings to the people of Haryana and paid tribute to the known and unknown freedom fighters and martyrs whose sacrifices paved the way for India’s freedom. She also conveyed her greetings on the occasion of Hariyali Teej, which was celebrated alongside Independence Day this year.
Kataria said Independence Day is an occasion to remember the sacrifices made during the country’s freedom struggle and to reaffirm the commitment towards the values that form the foundation of India’s democratic system. She said the Constitution-makers had laid a strong foundation based on justice, liberty, equality and fraternity, and these values have continued to strengthen with time.
She also paid tribute to soldiers who sacrificed their lives while protecting India’s unity, integrity and sovereignty. She said the contribution of the armed forces must always be remembered and respected.
Highlighting the government’s approach towards the families of martyrs, Kataria said the welfare and dignity of the dependants of soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice have remained an important priority. She said dependants of martyrs are being provided government employment on compassionate grounds and claimed that around 425 such dependants had been provided government jobs during the past nearly 12 years.
She said India today is gaining recognition not only for its rich cultural heritage and strategic strength but also for the rapid growth of its economy. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, she said, the country is moving forward in the areas of self-reliance, innovation and economic development.
According to Kataria, India’s position among the world’s major economies is becoming stronger and the country is progressing towards the goal of a developed India. She said development should not be measured only by economic growth but also by whether its benefits reach the last person in society.
She said the vision of a developed India is being pursued alongside the goal of a developed Haryana. The government, she said, is working towards attracting investment, encouraging new industries, creating employment opportunities for young people, improving farmers’ incomes and developing modern infrastructure across the state.
Kataria also highlighted measures aimed at making the business environment easier for industries. She said several procedures relating to certificates, licences and permissions had been simplified and made more transparent.
Speaking about healthcare, she said eligible families were receiving free treatment benefits of up to Rs 5 lakh through the Ayushman Bharat-Chirayu scheme. She also highlighted free dialysis facilities for kidney patients at government hospitals and medical colleges.
She further said financial assistance of Rs 3,000 per month was being provided to cancer patients suffering from third- and fourth-stage cancer whose annual family income is below Rs 3 lakh.
Turning to agriculture, Kataria said farmers remain central to Haryana’s development and that the state government is committed to protecting their interests. She said Haryana has become the first state in the country to make arrangements for procurement of 24 crops at minimum support price.
She listed crops including wheat, mustard, sunflower, lentil, paddy, sorghum, pearl millet, sugarcane, cotton and gram among those covered under the procurement arrangement.
Kataria also spoke about the role of women in Haryana’s development. She said women should not be viewed merely as beneficiaries of government programmes but as active participants in economic and social development.
She highlighted the Lado Lakshmi scheme under which women are being provided Rs 2,100 per month and said poor families were being provided cooking gas cylinders at Rs 500.
She also expressed concern over drug abuse among young people and described addiction as a serious threat to the future of youth, families and society. She said awareness programmes such as Raahgiri and youth marathons were being used to spread the message against drug abuse.
Kataria said the government was also focusing on strengthening sports infrastructure, improving training facilities and encouraging talented young athletes.
She further said employment opportunities were being provided to young people on the basis of merit and that skill-development programmes were being implemented to make youth more employable.
Emphasising participatory governance, she said citizens were also invited to provide suggestions before preparation of important documents such as the state Budget. Useful suggestions, she said, were incorporated into the Budget wherever appropriate.
She described the approach as an effort to strengthen democracy beyond elections by giving citizens a greater role in governance and policy discussions.
The Independence Day programme also featured an impressive parade, PT display, dumbbell show and cultural performances by students. Chhachhrauli Sub-Divisional Magistrate Jaspal Singh Gill said the parade was led by Parade Commander Vedpal and Kuldeep Singh.
NCC cadets from different educational institutions also participated in the parade. These included NCC Under Officer Manan Saini of BS Senior Secondary School, Salempur Khadar; Keshav of Sunrise Senior Secondary School, Pratap Nagar; Prerna of Gurjar Kanya Vidya Mandir, Devdhar; Jyoti of Government Model Sanskriti Senior Secondary School; Muskan Khan of Government College, Chhachhrauli; and Lucky Sood of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya.
Bands from Gurjar Kanya Vidya Mandir, Devdhar and God Bless Public School, Muzafat Kalan, also presented during the ceremony.
The parade and cultural competitions witnessed enthusiastic participation from students and security personnel. The Haryana Police contingent secured first position, followed by the NCC contingent of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Gulabgarh, in second place. The band of Gurjar Kanya Vidya Mandir, Devdhar, secured third position, while the NCC contingent of GMSSS Chhachhrauli finished fourth.
The cultural programme also saw strong competition among participating schools. Saraswati Senior Secondary School, Chhachhrauli, secured first position, while Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Chhachhrauli, stood second. DSSR Secondary School, Salempur Khadar, secured third position and Khalsa Senior Secondary School, Chhachhrauli, finished fourth.
The performances reflected the enthusiasm of students towards the national festival and presented themes connected with patriotism, national unity and India’s cultural traditions.
The ceremony brought together government officials, elected representatives, educational institutions, security personnel, students and local residents. The gathering provided an opportunity to commemorate the sacrifices of freedom fighters while also highlighting development and welfare priorities.
Among those present were former MLA Arjun Singh, DSP Pooja, BDPO Kartik Chauhan, Naib Tehsildar Anand Rawal, Numberdar Sanjeev Saini, Market Committee Chairman Kailash Chand Sharma, BJP District Media In-charge Kapil Manish Garg, BJP Mandal President Gaurav Goyal, Amit Khadri, Amit and other BJP workers and dignitaries.
The ceremony concluded with a strong message of patriotism and public participation, with speakers calling upon citizens to contribute towards national development while preserving the values of unity, equality and fraternity.
