BJP, JJP begin work on common minimum programme in Haryana

Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij on Thursday chaired the first meeting of the committee formed to finalise the common minimum programme of the state's BJP-JJP coalition government, a month after it came to power.

Bharatiya Janata Party's Manohar Lal Khattar was sworn in as chief minister and Jannayak Janta Party leader Dushyant Chautala took oath as Deputy Chief Minister on October 27.

The other ministers were sworn in on November 14.

The committee members held a discussion on the poll manifestos of the BJP and the JJP, Vij told reporters on Thursday.

Education minister Kanwar Pal and former minister O P Dhankar represented the BJP at the meeting. Archaeology and Museums Minister Anoop Dhanak was there for the JJP.

Vij said the officials have been directed to evaluate the economic and legal aspects of the promises made in the manifestos of both the parties. The committee will meet again after 15 days.

The minister said many promises by both parties are similar, claiming that the implementation has already begun.

The government has already fulfilled its promises of shifting liquor vends outside villages and successfully conducting the Haryana Teachers Eligibility Test, he said.

He said 'Operation Prahar' is being run in the state to curb drug trafficking. He claimed it has yielded positive results and soon trafficking will be eliminated from the state.

Additional Chief Secretary (Finance) T V S N Prasad and Secretary (Personnel, Training, Vigilance and Parliamentary Affairs) Nitin Yadav were also at the meeting.

Before the assembly polls in Haryana, the BJP had made over 260 promises and the JJP about 160.

Earlier, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had said the financial impact of BJP's promises would be Rs 32,000 crore over five years and the JJP promises would cost Rs 38,000 crore.

The opposition Congress had expressed doubts over the coalition's ability to fulfil the promises.

The BJP won 40 seats in the 90-member Vidhan Sabha, falling short of the majority mark. It took the support of JJP, which won 10 seats, to form the government.