The Governor's address on the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana and revival of Saraswati River dominated discussions in the Haryana Assembly here today, with the Opposition taking potshots at the BJP on the issues.
Haryana Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki had addressed members of the Legislative Assembly yesterday, the first day of the Budget Session.
Initiating the discussion, first-time BJP MLA Dr Abhe Singh Yadav said the PM Fasal Bima Yojana "is the most beneficial scheme and is in the interest of farmers".
Yadav, who highlighted several initiatives of the state to tackle water shortage in southern Haryana, said the Opposition instead of criticising the scheme should come forward with constructive suggestions to improve it.
At this, Congress MLA Kuldeep Sharma claimed that the consent of farmers was not taken for this scheme and that it had been "thrusted" on them.
If the BJP government claims to be pro-farmer, "why has it not implemented recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission despite making tall promises in this regard, Congress member Raghubir Singh Kadian said.
The Congress demanded to know from Yadav how the crop insurance scheme was beneficial for farmers and how many farmers had benefited from it.
However, Yadav said, "The Opposition should not be in the habit of criticising everything for the sake of criticism. Sometimes, they should rise above political considerations too."
Senior Minister Abhimanyu came in defence of Yadav on the issue as Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar was not present in the House for the majority of the day.
Khattar made a brief appearance towards the end of the day's proceedings.
Later, BJP's Pawan Saini said the Haryana government had constituted the Saraswati Heritage Development Board to take up research on the mythical river.
However, here too, the BJP member came under the Opposition's attack.
Taking a dig at the Saraswati river project, Leader of the Opposition and senior INLD leader Abhay Singh Chautala said it for the first time it is being seen that a government was putting all its efforts in digging up a lost river.
"Never heard before a river being dug up," he said.
However, senior BJP Minister Ram Bilas Sharma said the present government will one day revive the river and show water actually flows in the 32 km stretch from Adibadri in Haryana's Yamunanagar district.
Notably, the government has been undertaking excavation of the river. Construction of a palaeo-channel, digging of borewells, carbon-dating and other works have already been initiated.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)