Tag: Kanwar Pal

  • Haryana Assembly passes resolution seeking restoration of state’s share in Panjab University

    By PTI

    CHANDIGARH: Haryana Assembly on Tuesday unanimously passed a resolution recommending the government to seek restoration of the state’s share in Panjab University, Chandigarh.

    Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Education Minister Kanwar Pal said that Haryana must get its share in affiliation of colleges to Panjab University, Chandigarh to protect the interest of the students and citizens of the state.

    The non-official resolution was moved by Congress MLA Geeta Bhukkal in the state assembly.

    “As we know that Haryana state’s share in PU was granted under the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966, and colleges and regional centre of Haryana were affiliated to PU.”

    “Presently, Haryana has no share in the PU. Haryana government should submit a request before the Chancellor of the PU, that is India’s Vice President, for the affiliation of colleges and granting the due share to Haryana by amending rule to restore the state’s share in PU,” read the resolution.

    The House recommended to the state government to seek share of affiliation of colleges in PU, Chandigarh and protect the interest of citizens and students of Haryana.

    The state government assured that it will pay share of grant to the PU.

    Later, Khattar told reporters that the share of Haryana in Panjab University should be restored and the colleges of Haryana adjoining Chandigarh should also be affiliated with this university.

    He said he had raised the matter in a recent meeting of the Northern Zonal Council, chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

    Education Minister Pal said a Civil Writ Petition titled Dr. Sangeeta Bhalla Vs. State of Punjab and others is pending in the Punjab and Haryana High Court in which the court has passed an interim order dated May 19, 2022 directing the Centre to consider conversion of PU into a central university.

    State of Haryana has moved an application before the high court so that if court has to give any decision, Haryana’s plea should be heard and it should be made party in the case, he said.

    The minister said consequent upon the passing of the Kurukshetra University Act, the Centre had on November 1, 1973 issued a notification abolishing state’s share in the PU.

    At that time, the number of colleges affiliated to Panjab University in Haryana was 63 in 18 districts.

    He said that initially the budget of Panjab University was shared by Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh administrations.

    “Presently, the university’s expenses are borne by the Government of India and Punjab, in which the Centre is funding 92 per cent. About 168 colleges in the state of Punjab are affiliated to this university, but due to the notification dated November 1, 1973, issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, no colleges in Haryana are affiliated to this university,” Pal said.

    He said that the chief minister wrote a letter dated July 31 to the Union home minister to initiate the process of restoration of Haryana’s share in Panjab University.

    Pal said that 42 colleges of Panchkula, Ambala and Yamunanagar can be affiliated to Panjab University if Haryana’s share in the varsity is restored.

    He added that the Haryana Vidhan Sabha Speaker has also written a letter to the Vice President of India and Union Home Minister on the issue.

    CHANDIGARH: Haryana Assembly on Tuesday unanimously passed a resolution recommending the government to seek restoration of the state’s share in Panjab University, Chandigarh.

    Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Education Minister Kanwar Pal said that Haryana must get its share in affiliation of colleges to Panjab University, Chandigarh to protect the interest of the students and citizens of the state.

    The non-official resolution was moved by Congress MLA Geeta Bhukkal in the state assembly.

    “As we know that Haryana state’s share in PU was granted under the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966, and colleges and regional centre of Haryana were affiliated to PU.”

    “Presently, Haryana has no share in the PU. Haryana government should submit a request before the Chancellor of the PU, that is India’s Vice President, for the affiliation of colleges and granting the due share to Haryana by amending rule to restore the state’s share in PU,” read the resolution.

    The House recommended to the state government to seek share of affiliation of colleges in PU, Chandigarh and protect the interest of citizens and students of Haryana.

    The state government assured that it will pay share of grant to the PU.

    Later, Khattar told reporters that the share of Haryana in Panjab University should be restored and the colleges of Haryana adjoining Chandigarh should also be affiliated with this university.

    He said he had raised the matter in a recent meeting of the Northern Zonal Council, chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

    Education Minister Pal said a Civil Writ Petition titled Dr. Sangeeta Bhalla Vs. State of Punjab and others is pending in the Punjab and Haryana High Court in which the court has passed an interim order dated May 19, 2022 directing the Centre to consider conversion of PU into a central university.

    State of Haryana has moved an application before the high court so that if court has to give any decision, Haryana’s plea should be heard and it should be made party in the case, he said.

    The minister said consequent upon the passing of the Kurukshetra University Act, the Centre had on November 1, 1973 issued a notification abolishing state’s share in the PU.

    At that time, the number of colleges affiliated to Panjab University in Haryana was 63 in 18 districts.

    He said that initially the budget of Panjab University was shared by Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh administrations.

    “Presently, the university’s expenses are borne by the Government of India and Punjab, in which the Centre is funding 92 per cent. About 168 colleges in the state of Punjab are affiliated to this university, but due to the notification dated November 1, 1973, issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, no colleges in Haryana are affiliated to this university,” Pal said.

    He said that the chief minister wrote a letter dated July 31 to the Union home minister to initiate the process of restoration of Haryana’s share in Panjab University.

    Pal said that 42 colleges of Panchkula, Ambala and Yamunanagar can be affiliated to Panjab University if Haryana’s share in the varsity is restored.

    He added that the Haryana Vidhan Sabha Speaker has also written a letter to the Vice President of India and Union Home Minister on the issue.

  • Haryana Education Minister Kanwar Pal diagnosed with dengue, hospitalised

    By PTI

    YAMUNANAGAR: Haryana Education Minister Kanwar Pal has been diagnosed as suffering from dengue and has been hospitalised, officials said on Wednesday. However, they said the minister’s condition is stable and improving.

    He has been admitted to a private hospital in Mohali. Yamunanagar MLA Ghanshyam Das Arora and Civil Surgeon, Dr Vijay Dahiya, went to the hospital on Wednesday and met the minister and enquired about his health.

    Dr Dahiya later said the minister was running a fever and after tests, he was found positive for dengue. His platelet count was also coming down after which he was admitted to the Fortis Hospital in Mohali on Tuesday. “However, there has been an increase in the minister’s platelet count now and his condition is gradually improving,” he said.

    Notably, Haryana’s Home and Health Minister Anil Vij too is currently hospitalised. Vij was admitted to AIIMS in New Delhi on Monday night after he complained of breathing difficulties. Last year, Vij had contracted COVID-19 and last month he had been admitted to PGIMER at Chandigarh for over a week after his oxygen levels had dipped.

  • Agri laws: Farmers block highway in Ambala, force Haryana minister to skip meeting

    By PTI
    AMBALA: Farmers protesting against the three agri laws, which were enacted last year, blocked a highway here on Monday, forcing a Haryana minister to skip a scheduled meeting in the city.

    Education Minister Kanwar Pal was supposed to chair a meeting at a panchayat bhawan located along the Ambala–Hisar national highway, which the farmers had blocked for a few hours, officials said.

    The farmers gathered for their protest when Pal was scheduled to reach the venue to chair the district grievance committee’s meeting.

    The minister skipped it following the demonstration by them, sources said.

    Senior officers of the district were present at the panchayat bhavan for 11 am meeting, the officials said.

    Police had barricaded all roads leading to the meeting’s venue in the morning and deployed a large number of personnel.

    The blocking of the highway caused inconvenience to some commuters, but farmers ensured emergency vehicles like ambulances are allowed to pass during their protest.

    The farmers had gathered near the Agarsain Chowk near the meeting venue, and they also broke barricades in a bid to reach it, police said.

    Police had a tough time controlling the situation.

    Ambala president of farmers’ union BKU, Malkeet Singh, said that they will continue to protest the public programmes of the ruling BJP-JJP’s leaders till the time the ‘black farm laws are rolled back’.

    Farmers have been opposing public functions of BJP-JJP leaders in the state over the laws.

    Several farmers have been camping at Delhi’s borders since November last year demanding that the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers’ (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 be rolled back and a new law made to guarantee minimum support price for crops.

    However, the government has maintained the laws are pro-farmer.