Haryana's Leader of Opposition, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, launched a sharp critique against the state's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government on Wednesday, accusing it of misleading women voters regarding the much-publicized Lado Lakshmi Yojana. Speaking from his residence in Rohtak, the senior Congress leader alleged that the government has drastically scaled back its electoral promises, leaving millions of intended beneficiaries in the lurch.
Broken Promises on Women's Welfare Scheme
Hooda pointed out that during the election campaigns, the BJP had pledged to provide Rs 2,100 per month to all women in the state under the scheme. However, he claimed the reality is starkly different. According to his statement, for the financial year 2024-25, there are approximately 2.13 crore people in the Below Poverty Line (BPL) category in Haryana. This translates to roughly 85 lakh women who should be eligible for the benefit.
"The government is now only talking about giving the amount to 8 lakh women," Hooda stated, highlighting a massive gap between promise and delivery. He further alleged that even for this limited pool, the terms have been altered. "It is now being said that women will only receive Rs 1,100, and Rs 1000 will be deposited," he explained, without clarifying the purpose of the deposited amount.
The former Chief Minister accused the government of deliberately designing the scheme to exclude the majority. "Conditions such as income limits, children's education, and malnutrition were imposed. The government is deliberately imposing such conditions so that most women are automatically excluded from the beneficiary list," Hooda charged.
Employee Grievances and Economic Critique
Earlier in the day, Hooda also addressed a delegation of CPLO (Computer Panchayat Land Operator) employees from the state's Panchayat Department. The employees presented a memorandum outlining their grievances regarding a recent recruitment process.
They stated that their recruitment for the CPLO post was conducted in December 2023 based on advertisement number 01/19-21 HPPA-07, involving a Rs 1000 form fee and both preliminary and main examinations. However, they alleged that the process was unfairly changed at the results stage.
The CPLO post was split into two separate roles: ASK Operator and LCLO. While the ASK Operator position was set at a fixed salary of Rs 6,000 per month, the LCLO role was made commission-based. The employees claimed they were given joining letters for incorrect posts, an action they called against rules and unconstitutional. Hooda urged the government to swiftly address these employees' demands and find a resolution.
A Scathing Review of Haryana's Finances
Broadening his attack, Hooda blamed the BJP regime for the deteriorating financial health of Haryana. He contrasted the state's debt from its inception until 2014 with the current scenario. "From 1966 to 2014, the state's debt was approximately Rs 60,000 crore, which has now ballooned to over Rs 5 lakh crore," he stated.
He attributed this exponential rise to fiscal mismanagement. "Following a policy of reckless spending, the government continuously increased the state's debt burden. This reflects the dire state of the state's economy," Hooda concluded, painting a grim picture of the administration's economic stewardship.
