Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini on Friday alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab had spent elsewhere the ₹1,600 crore announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the flood-hit state last year.

Saini said he had earlier watched a video on social media in which Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann had promised compensation for every loss suffered by people during the devastating floods, down to a single hen.

Saini said this while interacting with the media at Haryana Niwas in Chandigarh, after transferring funds under various government welfare schemes.

Referring to the livestock disease outbreak in Punjab during the disaster, the CM said local residents had sought help to treat the affected animals. While Haryana had offered to send veterinary doctors and medicines, the state government had not granted permission. “Mann had also said he did not need to look towards the Centre for funds,” Saini said.

“However, when floods hit Punjab, Mann did not have money to compensate farmers,” Saini said.

Saini claimed that farmers from Punjab had told him that AAP ministers distributed compensation cheques in their presence and posed for photographs with the media, but took the cheques back after the media left. “This is what they do. Then how will the people of Punjab vote for them?” he asked.

Saini asks Rahul to face questions from BJP Yuva Morcha president

Saini also took a swipe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his debate challenge, inviting the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha to Haryana to face questions from the BJP Yuva Morcha president.

Offering to arrange the venue himself, Saini said that it cannot be a one-sided affair where someone makes false claims and then walks away. The CM said that if the Congress has any grievance regarding the electoral process, it should present its case before the Election Commission of India, while the doors of the courts are also open. Questioning why the Congress is unwilling to approach these forums, he said that merely making allegations from home for public consumption would serve no purpose.

Saini transfers ₹4,471 crore to beneficiaries of welfare schemes

The CM transferred ₹4,471 crore directly into the bank accounts of beneficiaries of various welfare schemes, as well as panchayati raj institutions and municipalities across the state.

Under the Deen Dayal Lado Lakshmi Yojana, about ₹223 crore was transferred into the bank accounts of 10.59 lakh women beneficiaries. With this disbursement, the total amount released under the scheme in 13 instalments has reached ₹2,689 crore.

The second phase of the scheme commenced on September 17 after the government expanded its coverage by raising the annual income eligibility limit from ₹1 lakh to ₹1.80 lakh. The latest disbursement included 49,290 eligible women covered under the expanded criteria.

Saini said that over ₹1,135 crore were transferred directly into the bank accounts of 35,26,358 beneficiaries under 15 social security pension schemes, including the “old age samman” allowance, disability allowance and other social security pensions.

‘Rural watchmen to receive an additional ₹4,221 per month’

Ahead of Diwali, the CM announced ₹4,221 per month hike in the monthly honorarium of rural watchmen, increasing the remuneration from ₹11,000 to ₹15,221.

Saini said that when the present government assumed office in 2014, a chowkidar was receiving a monthly honorarium of ₹3,500. This was increased to ₹7,000 per month in September 2018 and subsequently raised to ₹11,000 per month in February 2024. Keeping their financial security and future in mind, the government also introduced a provident fund (PF) facility to ensure regular monthly savings for rural watchmen.

Saini said a retirement benefit of ₹2 lakh has been provided for them and that physically fit rural watchmen have been allowed to continue in service up to the age of 65 years.

Saini also announced that for the first time in Haryana’s history the rural watchmen would be covered under the Employees’ State Insurance (ESI) Scheme, on the lines of the provisions applicable to water supply and sanitation workers.