Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Monday stated that any resumption of dialogue between India and Pakistan would be contingent on Pakistan taking credible action against terrorism. He was responding to a query about a letter signed by at least 117 prominent citizens from both countries urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to revive bilateral talks and work toward lasting peace in the region.
Khattar links dialogue to counter-terrorism actions
Referring to the aftermath of the Pulwama terror attack, Khattar said Pakistan must dismantle terrorist camps operating from its territory, take action against terror groups, and ensure that terrorism no longer plays any role in Jammu and Kashmir before further discussions can take place. He emphasised that India's position remains firm on this precondition.
Khattar was interacting with media persons during his visit to Karnal city. He first chaired a District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committee (DISHA) meeting at the Mini Secretariat, where nearly 80 government schemes under 14 agenda items were reviewed.
PM Modi to visit Haryana on July 17
On being asked about PM Modi's Haryana visit, Khattar announced that the Prime Minister will visit the state on July 17 to launch the Hydrogen-powered train and dedicate several other development projects. He did not provide further details about the projects but said the visit underscores the government's commitment to infrastructure and clean energy.
Review of government schemes and directives
During the DISHA meeting, Khattar instructed officials to ensure 100 per cent registration of farmers on the Meri Fasal Mera Byora (MFMB) portal by July 31 and called for wider coverage under the Prime Minister Fasal Bima Yojana. He also emphasised promoting natural farming, strengthening school management committees, verifying BPL beneficiaries through surveys, accelerating the distribution of pending Ayushman cards, identifying more street vendors under the PM SVANidhi scheme, and encouraging proper utilisation of Self-Help Group loans.
Khattar reviewed sanitation, rural infrastructure, drinking water, revenue matters, and welfare programmes, directing officials to ensure timely implementation and effective monitoring of all schemes.
Renaming of chowk and response to Congress criticism
Later, he visited the Noor Mahal Chowk, which will be renamed after Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee, and a statue of the leader will be installed. "A final decision to rename this chowk after Dr Mookerjee will be taken after discussions with local authorities," said Khattar.
Responding to remarks made by Congress MP Kumari Selja against the BJP government during her recent visit to Chanot village, Khattar said those who had led "inefficient governments" in the past were judging the present government by their own standards. "The BJP government has delivered transparent and well-planned governance over the past decade," he said.
Khattar also inaugurated the newly constructed Swami Dayanand Saraswati Chowk near the Sector 12-13 traffic light in Karnal.
On absence of BJP leaders and ethanol fuel
When asked about the absence of Union Minister Rao Inderjit Singh and three BJP MLAs from a recent programme attended by Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, Khattar said he was aware of the matter but maintained that any action, if required, would be taken by the Haryana BJP unit.
On concerns over ethanol-blended fuel, Khattar said the country has gradually increased ethanol blending from 5 per cent to 10 per cent and now to 20 per cent. He said several automobile manufacturers have already developed vehicles capable of running on 85 to 100 per cent ethanol. He added that ethanol, produced from domestic agricultural resources, reduces India's dependence on imported fuel and strengthens energy security. "If any technical issues are reported, experts and manufacturers will address them as technology continues to evolve," he added.
