Congress’s Regional Focus in Haryana: Exploring the Hooda Government’s Development Approach Across the State

The people of Haryana have experienced times when some regions were given more attention than others, with certain areas being left behind in terms of development. Many regions and their residents felt overlooked and neglected during this period.

At the leadership level, there appeared to be a focus on specific areas. As one group seemed to benefit more during Congress’s governance in Haryana, certain regions were prioritized in terms of resource allocation, leaving others underserved.

Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda is seen as having channeled state resources predominantly towards a particular region, which aligned with his political objectives. Other regions faced challenges, with their development needs seemingly taking a backseat, affecting a large portion of the state’s population.

The government, which collected public funds, was criticized for not effectively using these resources for the benefit of all. A notable example was the handling of over ₹1,000 crore out of the ₹5,000 crore collected through External Development Charges (EDC) in Gurgaon, where the funds were not fully utilized for developmental purposes.

The Rohtak district received significant focus under the Congress government’s model village scheme. When 65 villages were designated as model villages, areas like Sirsa, Mahendragarh, and Panchkula were left out, raising concerns. Surprisingly, 36% of these villages were from just two districts, with Rohtak, Hooda’s home district, receiving the largest share.

Political rival regions appeared to face neglect in development initiatives. The decision-making process seemed to raise concerns about fairness, with some speculating that political motivations influenced the allocation of resources. Development in regions like Sirsa, connected to political opposition, seemed less prioritized.

While public funds were collected efficiently, spending patterns were seen as uneven. From 2004-05 to 2013-14, resources raised by the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) were distributed unevenly, with certain districts receiving less attention, particularly those outside the Congress’s perceived strongholds.

Hopes for balanced development faded for many residents. During the Congress period, development initiatives were often seen as concentrated in specific regions, leaving much of the state feeling underserved and neglected.

This perceived regional favoritism led to feelings of disappointment across many parts of Haryana. The majority of the state’s population felt they were not given equal consideration in the development plans, creating a sense of disillusionment among the people.

Source: https://www.oneindia.com/india/congress-pushed-for-regionalism-in-haryana-heres-how-hooda-govt-discriminated-against-rest-of-stat-3933595.html