Union Minister for Power, Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal on Sunday dismissed discussions about excluding Karnal from the National Capital Region (NCR), asserting that the government had already resolved the issues that previously prompted such demands.
NCR exclusion no longer needed
Speaking to media at the PWD Rest House in Karnal, Manohar Lal recalled that as Chief Minister of Haryana, he had also felt some districts should be taken out of the NCR. “The objections and issues that were raised at that time have now been resolved, and all states have agreed to the changes,” he said.
He explained that environmental restrictions under NCR regulations had created difficulties for certain districts. To address these, a revised framework has been adopted. Under the new arrangement, restrictions will be imposed in phases depending on the prevailing situation. “Environmental restrictions will first be implemented in Delhi and the first ring surrounding it. The second and third rings will face restrictions later, depending on the circumstances. The states and districts that had sought exclusion from the NCR fall within the third ring,” he added.
RRTS to Karnal gets Cabinet nod soon
On the proposed Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) to Karnal, Manohar Lal said Cabinet approval is expected within the next week.
Manohar Lal was on a two-day visit to his constituency. He first participated in a conference of intellectuals at the auditorium of the Kalpana Chawla Government Medical College (KCGMC) on Saturday evening. On Sunday, he chaired a district-level programme for International Yoga Day at New Grain Market and later attended a series of events.
Voter registration drive praised
Manohar Lal also filled his self-enumeration form at the PWD Rest House and appealed to citizens to actively participate in the campaign to verify their voter details. “The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) campaign launched by the Election Commission is aimed at ensuring transparency in electoral rolls by removing duplicate and multiple voter entries, while safeguarding the voting rights of all eligible citizens. No valid voter is being removed under the SIR campaign. This is purely a process to eliminate duplicate and double voting entries and ensure free and fair elections,” he said.
He expressed satisfaction over the progress of the drive in Karnal, noting that the district has achieved around 92% coverage in the distribution of enumeration forms, placing it among the top-performing districts in Haryana.
NEET protests dismissed as baseless
Responding to protests demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET paper leak and CBSE evaluation issues, Manohar Lal termed such protests “baseless and unnecessary issues”. He said he did not consider it worthwhile to respond to such allegations. “The people of the country want development and positive politics, not needless controversies,” he added.
On the BJP’s political expansion in Punjab, Manohar Lal expressed confidence about the party’s prospects, claiming the BJP would emerge victorious in the state.
When asked about Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi’s interaction with students after the NEET controversy, Manohar Lal said political leaders are free to engage with people and present their views. “He is doing his work, and we are doing ours. Such interactions should take place. Ultimately, it is for the people to decide how they view these efforts,” he said.
