Haryana

• 05 Nov 2024

Haryana Day, 2024

Why in News?

Haryana Day, celebrated on 1^st November each year, commemorates the state's establishment in 1966, when it was carved from Punjab.

Key Points

• Background:
  • Linguistic and Cultural Identity: Haryana, culturally and linguistically distinct, sought autonomy from Punjab post-independence.
  • Demand for Statehood: Key leaders advocated for a Hindi-speaking state, emphasizing Haryana's cultural and linguistic uniqueness.
  • Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966: Enacted by the Indian Parliament, this was crucial in creating the states of Haryana and Punjab, as well as the Union Territory of Chandigarh.
  • Shah Commission (1966): Formed under Justice JC Shah, it recommended specific boundaries based on linguistic demographics.
  • Recommendation: Allocated regions to Haryana, including districts like Hisar and Gurgaon, aligning with the Hindi-speaking population.
• Important Personalities:
  • Pandit Bhagwat Dayal Sharma: Haryana's first Chief Minister, he was a prominent advocate for statehood.
  • Justice JC Shah: Chaired the Shah Commission, crucial in delineating Haryana’s boundaries.

Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966

• The Punjab Reorganisation Act,1966 separated parts of the state of Punjab to form new states and a union territory.
• Haryana a new state was formed from the Hindi-speaking areas of the state, including the districts of Hissar, Rohtak, Gurgaon, Karnal, and Mahendragarh.
• Himachal Pradesh the mountainous regions of Punjab were merged with Himachal Pradesh, which was then a union territory. Himachal Pradesh became a state in 1971.
• Chandigarh the capital of Punjab, Chandigarh, was made a union territory to serve as the provisional capital of both Punjab and Haryana.
• The Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966 was passed by the Indian Parliament on 18^th September, 1966. It was the result of the Punjabi Suba movement, which sought to create a Punjabi-speaking state.

New Chief Secretary in Haryana

Why in News?

Recently, Vivek Joshi, a 1989-batch IAS officer, has been appointed as the new Chief Secretary of Haryana, marking significant administrative changes in the state.

Key Points

• Roles and Responsibilities:
  • Joshi will oversee departments including general administration, human resources, personnel and training, parliamentary affairs, and vigilance.
  • He will also manage plan coordination as secretary in charge.
• Background:
  • Before this appointment, Joshi served as Secretary in the Department of Personnel and Training, under the Union Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances, and Pensioners.
  • The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved his repatriation to the Haryana cadre at the state government's request on 26^th October.
• Until Joshi officially joins, Anurag Rastogi, the Haryana Additional Chief Secretary (Home), will handle the Chief Secretary responsibilities temporarily.

Chief Secretary of State

• Appointment:
  • The Chief Secretary is ‘chosen’ by the Chief Minister. As the appointment of Chief Secretary is an executive action of the Chief Minister, it is taken in the name of the Governor of the State.
• Position:
  • The post of Chief Secretary is the senior-most position in the civil services of the states and union territories of India.
  • The position is a cadre post for the Indian Administrative Services.
  • The Chief Secretary is the chief advisor to the Chief Minister in all matters of the cabinet.
• Tenure:
  • The office of Chief Secretary has been excluded from the operation of the tenure system. There is no fixed tenure for this post.