Haryana

• 29 Dec 2022

Haryana Govt to give more Autonomy to Panchayats and Municipalities

Why In News?

• On December 28, 2022, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar announced more autonomy to Panchayats, Block committees, Zilla Parishads, Municipalities, Municipal councils and Municipal corporations in the state in the winter session of the assembly.

Key Points

• Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said that under gram panchayats, sarpanches will be able to get work up to Rs 2 lakh done at their level on quotation basis and works worth more than Rs 2 lakh will be done through tender on Haryana Engineering Works Portal.
• Under the new system, only the SDO will approve works ranging from Rs. 2 lakh to Rs. 25 lakh at the sub-divisional level. Sarpanch, Block Committee and Zila Parishad Chairman will give administrative approval for this. Earlier, the approval files of the states used to come to the director, now all the approvals will be available at the local level.
• He said that Technical approval of works ranging from Rs. 25 lakh to Rs. 1 crore will be given by the Superintending Engineer and approval will be given by the CEO, Zila Parishad and technical approval for works ranging from Rs. 1 crore to Rs. 2.5 crore will be given by the Engineer Superintendent and approval will be given by the Panchayat Director. Technical approval for work worth more than Rs 2.5 crore will be given by the Chief Engineer or Engineer-in-Chief. It will be approved by the Administrative Secretary.
• If panchayati raj institutions fall short of the budget received from the State Finance Commission and the Central Finance Commission, the Rural Development Department will provide a demand-driven budget from HRDF or other reserve funds of the state government.
• In the works that will be done from these funds, the Panchayat Director will approve the work up to Rs. 25 lakh. The rural development department will carry out works worth more than Rs. 25 lakh and the government will give approval. Works worth Rs. 5 to 10 crore will come to the concerned minister and works worth more than Rs. 10 crore will come to the Chief Minister.

State's first Sports University to come up in Sonipat

Why In News?

• On December 27, 2022, Additional Chief Secretary of Haryana Sports Department Mahabir Singh said that the state's first sports university will be set up at Motilal Nehru Sports School located in Sonipat district of the state.

Key Points

• According to the information, Governor Bandaru Dattatreya has appointed retired IPS S.S. Deshwal, a resident of village Atawala in Panipat, as the Vice Chancellor of the new Sports University.
• The sports school will not be upgraded as a sports university. In fact, a separate university will be set up in the sports school premises.
• It is worth mentioning that recently Chief Minister Manohar Lal had announced to set up the state's first sports university at Motilal Nehru Sports School at Rai in Sonipat.
• The paperwork and other procedures for setting up a sports university have been completed. Now the infrastructure for the university has to be prepared in the sports school premises. Earlier, the Sports University has been formally started. The government has also sent a letter in this regard to the sports school.
• It is known that in the year 1973, the then Chief Minister Bansi Lal started motilal Nehru Sports School in Rai. The school players have so far won many medals with their performance on the national and international stage. Not only this, many are working in high positions in administrative services and army.
• According to the plan of the state government, a center of excellence will be built here for every sport, so that international level coaches and players can be prepared.
• Haryana is a sports state where there was not a single sports university. The players had to go to other states for NIS certificate or course. In view of this, a sports university has been started here. All sports-related courses will be conducted here.
• Motilal Nehru Sports School has 12 playgrounds besides hockey, football, horse riding, swimming, gymnast, basketball. The school has long dominated the national level in horse riding and swimming. The school has multipurpose halls and hockey astroturf grounds to promote sports. A 50-meter shooting range is being built here. The already built swimming pools and other sports grounds are of national level.