Chandigarh: Haryana Governor has highlighted education, modern language learning, skilled labour, healthcare, infrastructure and air connectivity as key areas requiring greater attention in the state, while describing Haryana and Punjab as “twin brothers” with longstanding historical, cultural and agricultural ties.
Reflecting on his experience in Haryana, the Governor said the state has made significant progress since its formation in 1966 across industry, agriculture, manufacturing, education, sports and the armed forces. He described the people of Haryana as hardworking, frank and open-hearted, while identifying areas where further improvement is needed.
Haryana Governor Stresses Modern Languages And Skilled Workforce
The Governor said Haryana needs to strengthen primary education and give greater emphasis to learning modern languages alongside the mother tongue.
“I think that modern languages should be cultivated along with the mother tongue,” he said, stressing the need for greater focus on science, IT and computer science at the Class 11–12 and college levels.
He said Haryana needs more skilled and highly skilled workers to meet the requirements of its growing industries, noting that skilled labour from other states is currently filling some of the demand.
The Governor urged Haryana’s political leadership and people to take greater advantage of the Skill India initiative so that local workers can develop skills that benefit the state’s industrial sector.
He also pointed to the large IT presence in Gurugram and said greater IT proficiency among Haryana’s students could help local youth take advantage of employment opportunities.
Education And Health Among Top Priorities
The Governor said education and health are his two main priorities.
During his visits to different districts, he said he interacts with university vice-chancellors, registrars, professors, students and district officials before visiting primary schools and primary health centres.
He acknowledged infrastructure deficiencies in some areas and said recommendations made by him are being considered by the government.
The Governor noted that the education budget had been increased by more than 10 per cent and said greater attention should also be given to rural health centres in the coming budget.
He also highlighted his work with the Red Cross, saying that when he took charge, Haryana had only four ambulances for its 23 districts, with two of them almost non-functional.
He said he donated nearly 20 new ambulances from his discretionary funds. According to him, every district now has new ambulances that are available free of cost to ordinary people.
Direct Interaction With Students
The Governor said he personally visits university canteens and washrooms and interacts directly with students to understand their problems instead of relying only on university officials.
Students have raised issues related to food, drinking water and washroom conditions, he said.
He added that he recommends improvements to vice-chancellors and registrars and also focuses on infrastructure, libraries, books, journals and research facilities.
He said direct interaction with students helps him understand their concerns and take them up with the concerned authorities.
Governor Discusses Haryana’s Sporting Achievements
The Governor also highlighted Haryana’s contribution to sports, particularly in wrestling, boxing, archery and athletics.
He said the state has created infrastructure that has made sports an important aspiration for students alongside education.
Referring to athletes such as Neeraj Chopra and former cricketer Kapil Dev, he said Haryana’s sporting achievements have contributed significantly to the country’s national life.
He said he takes pride in being Governor of a state that has made “phenomenal improvement” and development.
On His Role As Constitutional Head
Speaking about his role as Governor, he said his responsibility is to help the government function efficiently while remaining conscious of his constitutional limitations.
He said he maintains contact with the Chief Minister, Cabinet ministers, bureaucrats, judicial officials, Opposition leaders and representatives of different social and professional organisations.
According to him, his role includes advising the government, encouraging beneficial initiatives and warning against decisions that could have far-reaching consequences for the people.
He also described the Governor as a bridge between the Centre and the state and said he seeks to communicate Haryana’s concerns and requirements to the Central Government.
Governor Describes Punjab And Haryana As ‘Twin Brothers’
Speaking about Punjab-Haryana relations, the Governor described the two states as “twin brothers” and said they share longstanding historical, cultural and agricultural ties.
He acknowledged the drug problem as a major challenge for Punjab but expressed confidence in the people of the state.
“Given the hardworking nature of Punjab people, their innovative ideas, their talents, I am sure that Punjab will be able to solve, the people of Punjab will be able to solve this problem,” he said.
He said Punjab and Haryana could collectively contribute to improving the economic and political situation of the region.
Both states, he noted, are border states and receive Central Government support in areas including infrastructure, defence preparedness and public welfare.
The Governor said the two states should work “shoulder to shoulder” in the greater interests of the country and described them as important from the perspective of national defence.
Three Key Challenges For Haryana
Asked what challenges Haryana faces, the Governor identified three key areas.
First, he reiterated the need for Haryana’s students to learn more modern languages.
“One point I have already mentioned is that people of Haryana, students of Haryana should learn more about the modern languages,” he said.
Second, he stressed the need to properly take advantage of the Skill India initiative so that Haryana’s workers become more skilled and can contribute more effectively to industry.
“Skill India, this theme has to be properly taken advantage of by the political leadership so that the people, workers of Haryana become more skilled so that they can be of great help to industry,” he said.
Third, he called for greater capital expenditure, particularly on roads and bridges.
Governor Calls For Higher Capital Expenditure
Referring to his observations on the state budget, the Governor said expenditure in the field of capital development should be higher.
He specifically mentioned roads and bridges and said the government should make efforts to reduce administrative expenditure so that more funds can be directed towards capital expenditure.
“I think I shall give the advice to the Cabinet that administrative expenses, government should make huge efforts in cutting down the expenditure of the government so that the level of capital expenditure can be increased,” he said.
Air Connectivity Needs Improvement
The Governor also identified air connectivity as an area where Haryana remains comparatively deficient.
“Haryana is a landlocked state, so the logistics are very much important,” he said, adding that Haryana has already improved considerably in logistics.
However, he said air connectivity still requires attention and expressed the expectation that the state could see substantial improvement in the next four or five years.
He also praised Haryana’s road infrastructure, saying road conditions in the state are very good and that Haryana has made significant improvements compared with other states.
Governor Wants To Be Remembered As ‘Common Man’s Governor’
Asked how he would like to be remembered after his tenure ends, the Governor said he wants to be remembered as the “common man’s Governor”.
“I have come as a Governor of Haryana and I would like to be remembered by the people of Haryana as the common man’s Governor,” he said.
He said he has great respect for the people of Haryana, including the state’s medical professionals, scientific community and other talented people.
At the same time, he reiterated that the average level of education needs to improve.
The Governor said he believes he still has a great deal to do from his constitutional position and wants to remain approachable to ordinary people.
Governor On His Vision For India And PM Modi
Speaking about his interactions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Governor described them as an opportunity to understand the Prime Minister’s vision for India.
He said the vision for India in 2047 involves a developed, economically strong, militarily capable and socially inclusive country, while retaining its cultural and civilisational values.
The Governor also spoke about India’s relations with countries across Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, Southeast Asia and other regions.
He said India should maintain good relations with other countries, including China and Pakistan, provided problems with Pakistan are addressed peacefully.
He said India’s development should include students, youth, women, sportspersons, armed forces and people belonging to different religious communities.
Governor Says He Is Learning Hindi
Towards the end of the interview, the Governor was asked whether he understands Haryanvi and whether he has a favourite Haryanvi word or phrase.
He said he has a Hindi teacher and is trying to learn Hindi.
“I am trying to learn Hindi,” he said.
The Governor said he can read Hindi fluently and can follow Hindi well, including Hindi films, but acknowledged that he cannot yet speak the language fluently.
“My vocabulary is weak, but I think that within one year, I shall be able to improve my knowledge about Hindi,” he said.
He added that his Hindi teacher is a great Hindi scholar who helps him improve his language skills.
The Governor expressed confidence that he would soon be able to converse in Hindi. Asked about Hindi and Haryanvi, he replied: “Hindi and Haryanvi.”
Haryana’s Next Phase Of Development
The Governor said Haryana has made phenomenal progress in a relatively short period and has contributed significantly to India’s industrial, agricultural, educational, sporting and defence sectors.
At the same time, he stressed the need for continued attention to education, modern languages, IT skills, skilled employment, healthcare, capital expenditure and air connectivity.
He said his priority as Governor would remain working within his constitutional role while supporting initiatives that can benefit the people of Haryana.
The Governor also emphasised the importance of cooperation between Haryana and Punjab, saying the two states can work together for the wider interests of the region and the country.