Bansi Lal: Haryana’s Vikas Purush

 

When Haryana was formed in 1966, everyone had their doubts. A state with few resources had come into existence. The residents of the state longed for development and the state needed massive investment for its development.

The doubts of the sceptics became a reality when the politicians of the state indulged in politics of power and ignored the aspirations of the citizens. the politics of ‘Aaya Ram Gaya Ram’ marred the image of the state nationwide. In two years the state had seen two Chief Ministers and uncertainty glared in its face.

In 1968, elections were called and the Congress Party winning 48 of the 81 seats up for the contest, named Bansi Lal the next Chief Minister of Haryana. He embarked upon the path of development and took decisions which would change the fortunes of Haryana.

The key decisions are listed as follows:

• Pucca Roads to every Village: Bansi Lal directed the Government machinery to connect each and every village in the state to the District Headquarters with an all-weather road. By the end of his first term in 1972, the target was completed. Haryana thus became the first state in the nation to connect all its villages with pucca roads.
• Electrification of the State: Haryana became the first state in the nation to provide electrical connections to all villages in the state. This is a remarkable achievement in the wake of the fact that some states achieved the target as late as 2017.
• Canal Infrastructure: Haryana is predominantly an agricultural state. The irrigation infrastructure in the state is one of the best in the state. This can be largely attributed to Bansi Lal who gave high priority to canals. Canals served the dual purpose of providing drinking water as well as irrigation facilities to the residents. Hence, Haryana became the first state to provide its residents with safe drinking water.

Bansi Lal transformed the state, provided it with the much-needed stability and tried to change the face of the state. Haryana became the model state for small states.

Although he got two more terms as CM, both of them were marred by controversies. But these controversies could not overshadow the great work done by Bansi Lal, the Vikas Purush of Haryana.