Chandigarh, Aug 13 (IANS): Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Tuesday virtually inaugurated and laid foundation stones for 600 projects of Rs 3,400 crore at a state-level programme in Panchkula.

The Chief Minister inaugurated 220 projects of Rs 1,190 crores and laid the foundation stones for 380 projects costing Rs 2,210 crore.

On this occasion, the Chief Minister also handed over appointment letters to 104 Trained Graduate Teacher-Punjabi and 3,878 Group-D candidates. He congratulated the selected candidates and their families, highlighting that their hard work has made it possible to get government jobs on merit.

During the public event, Saini took a step towards fulfilling the dream of the poor to own a home by launching a portal for Mukhya Mantri Gramin Awas Yojana-Expansion.

Under this scheme, plots of 100 yards will be provided in villages and 50 yards in Mahagram villages to those who do not own land.

He slammed the previous government for its discriminatory practices in allotting plots, stating that it failed to provide possession or documentation, leaving people struggling. “The present state government has rectified this by giving plot possession to those who were previously denied.”

The Chief Minister said this is the 10th event where projects have been inaugurated or foundation stones laid online, adding up to a total of 2,891 projects of Rs 24,221 crore. These projects include roads, water facilities, health institutions, schools, colleges, power stations, canals, drains, and bridges, benefiting various aspects of connectivity, infrastructure, health, transport, education, and tourism.

The Chief Minister emphasised that infrastructure is a crucial measure of development. The simultaneous inauguration and foundation laying of these projects reflect a vision of comprehensive development across all sectors.

Before 2014, Haryana was marred by despair, distrust, and regionalism. “The present state government has prioritized merit over favoritism, ensuring job transparency and efficiency,” added Saini.

Earlier, speaking on the occasion, Vidhan Sabha Speaker Gian Chand Gupta said that today the dream of meritorious youth has been fulfilled today as their hardwork has paid off.

He congratulated them on receiving appointment letters without any ‘Parchi Kharchi’, praising the government for its transparent job allocation process.