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Hitender Rao

Hitender Rao is Senior Associate Editor covering the state of Haryana. A journalist with over two decades of experience, he writes on politics, economy, migration and legal affairs with a focus on investigative journalism.

Articles by Hitender Rao

Haryana: Vinesh Phogat takes her fight to political mat

Vinesh Phogat got within striking distance of winning an Olympics gold or silver at the Paris Olympics before being disqualified because she was overweight by 100 grams in the 50 kilograms weight category she was competing

She along with fellow wrestlers Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik were at the forefront of a sit-in in the national capital seeking action against the then Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh for alleged sexual harassment of athletes. (PTI)

Chandigarh

Updated on Sep 14, 2024 07:04 AM IST

ByHitender Rao, Chandigarh

Haryana’s caste fault lines: Congress, BJP play to their strengths in ticket distribution

BJP has allocating one third of the tickets to upper caste non-Jat communities like Brahmins, Punjabi-Khatri, Vaish and Rajputs while the Congress has allocated one third of tickets to Jats and Jat Sikhs

An analysis of ticket distribution by the two national parties shows that it is the 33% backward classes (BCs) and 22% scheduled castes (SCs) which are being eyed both by the BJP and the Congress for the 2024 assembly polls. (HT File)

Chandigarh

Updated on Sep 13, 2024 09:14 AM IST

ByHitender Rao, Chandigarh

Polls round the corner, Haryana govt may skip House meet, dissolve assembly

The council of ministers led by chief minister Nayab Saini may recommend the dissolution of the assembly to the governor on Wednesday to avoid summoning the House

The last sitting of the state assembly was on March 13 and a session has to be convened before September 12. The state goes to the assembly polls on October 5. (HT File)

Chandigarh

Updated on Sep 11, 2024 07:24 AM IST

ByHitender Rao, Chandigarh

Haryana elections: Why Vinesh Phogat took her fight to the political mat

Youngsters and women see her as someone who fights for justice and against gender disparity.

Jind: Congress candidate from Julana seat Vinesh Phogat speaks during a programme, ahead of Haryana Assembly elections, at Bakta Khera village in Jind district, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024. (PTI Photo) (PTI)

Analysis

Published on Sep 10, 2024 07:02 PM IST

ByHitender Rao

Political savvy Haryana sporting icons have little to show on poll turf

While 2008 Olympic bronze winning pugilist Vijender Singh unsuccessfully contested from South Delhi in 2019 Lok Sabha elections on a Congress ticket, Commonwealth gold winning grappler Babita Phogat, fielded by the BJP in 2019 assembly polls from Dadri constituency, lost badly

The BJP has so far declared two sportspersons - Aarti Singh Rao, an international skeet shooter and daughter of union minister Rao Inderjit Singh and Deepak Hooda, former captain of national kabaddi team, as party candidate from Ateli and Meham assembly constituencies respectively for the 2024 polls. (HT File)

Chandigarh

Updated on Sep 06, 2024 08:56 AM IST

ByHitender Rao, Chandigarh

Congress, AAP start alliance talks for Haryana polls

The Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have started intense negotiations for a last-minute alliance in the upcoming October 5 Haryana elections.

According to the two parties, Congress general secretary KC Venugopal, a trusted lieutenant of former party chief Rahul Gandhi, and AAP’s Rajya Sabha lawmaker Raghav Chadha have already held two rounds of discussions. (ANI)

India News

Updated on Sep 04, 2024 01:15 AM IST

BySaubhadra Chatterji, Hitender Rao, New Delhi/ Chandigarh

Reduction in price of HSIIDC plots: SC orders pvt firm to pay original allotment price

The apex court also came down heavily on the then managing director of Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation for allowing conversion of the plots to non-IT industrial plots with a reduced allotment price

The bench said the IT industrial plots were advertised at a higher rate of <span class='webrupee'>₹</span>22,885 per square metre. It said the respondent company, Wyan Industries Ltd, applied for these plots and got allotment at the said rate, and even deposited the earnest amount to secure the allotment. (HT File)

Chandigarh

Updated on Sep 04, 2024 06:26 AM IST

ByHitender Rao, Chandigarh

Unemployment in Haryana: Over 45,000 grads, post graduates apply for sweeper’s job

Unemployment rate in urban areas in 15-29 age group increases to 11.2% in April to June, 2024 quarter, increases to 17.2% for urban women in 15-29 age group: Central govt report

Officials said that job description of the sweeper makes it abundantly clear about the task the selected applicants will have to undertake and there was little possibility that someone applied for the job mistakenly. (iStock)

Chandigarh

Updated on Sep 03, 2024 09:40 AM IST

ByHitender Rao, Chandigarh

Over 46k grads, post graduates apply for sanitation staff post

Over 46,000 graduates in Haryana applied for sanitation worker positions paying ₹15,000/month due to unemployment.

Officials said there was little possibility people could have applied for the job mistakenly, pointing out that the job description “clearly outlined the work that was expected of people in the role”.(Representative photo.)

India News

Updated on Sep 03, 2024 05:52 AM IST

ByHitender Rao, Chandigarh

Haryana polls: Front-runner in polls, Congress plagued by factional feuds

The Congress, which is Haryana’s principal opposition party, remains a divided house with a number of party leaders hostile towards each other.

With leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda in control, the Congress is also hoping for consolidation of about 25% Jats, the dominant community in the state. (HT File)

India News

Updated on Sep 01, 2024 04:55 AM IST

ByHitender Rao, Chandigarh

Dushyant’s flagship private sector job quota faded before polls

Promises on increasing old age pension, loan waiver and restoration of old pension scheme for employees couldn’t get through.

Chandigarh

Updated on Aug 28, 2024 08:02 AM IST

ByHitender Rao, Chandigarh

‘Stark disparity’ in share of two categories of scheduled castes in govt jobs, shows data

60.3% share of Haryana government jobs for scheduled castes are with those other than the deprived category.

The data analysis was done to ascertain the inadequacy of representation of scheduled castes in public employment because of their backwardness for the purpose of doing subclassification as ordered by the Supreme Court on August 1. (.)

Chandigarh

Updated on Aug 21, 2024 07:38 AM IST

ByHitender Rao, Chandigarh

Haryana assembly polls: BJP and Cong in eyeball-to-eyeball contest

Political analysts say that BJP’s 10-year rule in Haryana would affect party’s prospects in the state assembly elections

Chandigarh

Updated on Aug 17, 2024 07:46 AM IST

ByHitender Rao, Chandigarh

Haryana assembly elections: Anti-incumbency, farmers angst, bickering can spoil BJPs poll plans

While the BJP is taking a third shot at the power, hoping to cash in on its win in the Parliamentary elections leading to the formation of party led NDA government for a third consecutive term at the Centre, the principal Opposition party in the state, the Congress, is gung-ho over its vastly improved outing in the Lok Sabha polls

A Panjab University based political scientist Prof Ashutosh Kumar says that after the Lok Sabha poll results, the Congress seems to be on a strong wicket. (HT File Photo)

Chandigarh

Updated on Aug 17, 2024 07:44 AM IST

ByHitender Rao, Chandigarh

Subclassification of scheduled castes: Haryana govt asks SC panel to analyse data

Data on inadequacy of representation in the services must be collected as it indicates backwardness, says top court’s ruling

Chandigarh

Updated on Aug 09, 2024 08:28 AM IST

ByHitender Rao, Chandigarh

Top court ruling on SC subcategories to have twin implications on Haryana

The apex court rules that a 1994 Haryana government notification by which the scheduled castes in Haryana were classified into two categories for reservation is also valid.

Chandigarh

Updated on Aug 02, 2024 12:19 PM IST

ByHitender Rao, Chandigarh

PhD degrees of contractual college lecturers come under scrutiny

Top officials said that chief minister Nayab Singh Saini recently gave the approval for conducting an inquiry by the anti-graft agency in the matter after taking legal advice from the advocate general

Officials said that two committees of the higher education department were constituted in March 2024 to examine the genuineness of the PhD degrees of the extension lecturers engaged by government colleges as well as regular assistant/associate professors who obtained their degrees while being in service. (HT Photo)

Chandigarh

Updated on Jul 31, 2024 06:06 AM IST

ByHitender Rao, Chandigarh

Khattar virtually absolves Robert Vadra of illegality

The deal took place when the state was governed by a Congress administration under Bhupinder Singh Hooda

The land deal in question concerns a 2.701-acre parcel of land in Gurugram’s Shikohpur village (now Sector 83). (HT File Photo)

Chandigarh

Updated on Jul 30, 2024 08:52 AM IST

ByHitender Rao, Chandigarh

Haryana couldn’t have proposed gallantry medals pending report on use of force

When the high court-appointed panel is yet to give its report on the use of force on protesters at Khanauri on the Punjab-Haryana border, experts ask how the state government can propose medals for police personnel.

The Haryana government’s proposal for award of gallantry medals to two police officers for showing exceptional courage during farmers’ protest at Khanauri border in Jind was not in consonance with the Union ministry of home affairs guidelines. (HT File)

Chandigarh

Updated on Jul 25, 2024 03:23 PM IST

ByHitender Rao

Explainer: A closer look at newly laid creamy layer criteria for BCs

Social sector experts believe the exclusion of salary and income from agricultural land for determining gross annual income may make the entire exercise a farce as many deserving candidates may have to compete with those who have more resources and thus more opportunities.

The BJP government in Haryana on Tuesday notified fresh criteria for identifying persons in the creamy layer among the backward classes (BCs) for reservation in public employment and educational institutions. (Representational photo)

Chandigarh

Published on Jul 17, 2024 12:51 PM IST

ByHitender Rao, Chandigarh

Haryana releases stilt-and 4-floors policy; mixed reactions in Gurugram

While many were happy with the policy, others pointed out that the new policy will strain the city’s already stressed public infrastructure

Around 168K plots in HSVP sectors are eligible. (Parveen Kumar/HT)

Gurugram

Updated on Jul 03, 2024 05:52 AM IST

ByLeena Dhankhar, Hitender Rao

Haryana government gives nod for construction of stilt and 4 floors

Haryana govt's decision drew mixed reactions from developers and residents. Violators can apply for composition of offence by paying penalty

Officials said the new policy was broadly based on recommendations from an expert committee. (HT Photo)

Gurugram

Updated on Jul 02, 2024 07:16 AM IST

ByHitender Rao, Leena Dhankhar

Haryana allows construction of stilt-plus-4 floors but with riders

In cases where such constructions have been done without approval, violators can pay penalty 10 times the rate prescribed for the same

In 2018, registration of fourth floor was allowed as a separate dwelling unit but the authorities were inundated with complaints from residents who pointed out overburdening of the existing infrastructure, damage to adjoining houses and congestion due to parking of vehicles on the roads. (HT File Photo)

Chandigarh

Updated on Jul 02, 2024 07:12 AM IST

ByHitender Rao, Chandigarh

Creamy layer criteria: Haryana CM’s move to woo backward classes may not be expedient

The move is aimed at wooing about 33 % of backward classes in the state with an eye on the upcoming October assembly elections in Haryana

Haryana chief minister Nayab Saini, who himself is a BC leader and is piloting the move, also announced a more significant aspect - income from salary and agriculture will be excluded from determining the gross annual income. (HT File)

Chandigarh

Updated on Jun 29, 2024 08:16 AM IST

ByHitender Rao, Chandigarh

Intense heatwave: Energy demand set to go through the roof this summer, Haryana buys expensive power

The projections made by the power utilities have shown that Haryana is expected to experience a peak energy demand of 14,287 MW in June, 14,262 MW in July, 13,811 in August and 13,548 MW in September.

Haryana is expected to experience a peak energy demand of 14,287 megawatts (MW) this summer, resulting in a deficit of 1,177 MW to 2,411 MW till September. The forecast is as per the power demand and supply projections made by Haryana Power Purchase Centre (HPPC), a joint forum of state’s two distribution companies set up for power trading. The peak energy demand in 2023-24 summer was 13,055 MW and 12,768 in 2022-23, power utilities officials said. (Getty Images/iStockphoto/ Representational image)

Chandigarh

Updated on Jun 15, 2024 07:04 AM IST

ByHitender Rao, Chandigarh

Congress call to dismiss minority BJP govt in Haryana stems from its own dilemma

Constitutional provisions in light of SC judgment makes it hard to give marching orders to governments.

Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Tuesday made it clear that the party was not seeking a floor test but dismissal of the government. (HT File)

Chandigarh

Updated on Jun 12, 2024 12:04 PM IST

ByHitender Rao, Chandigarh

Haryana Lok Sabha poll outcome: BJP, Congress on equal footing before assembly polls

As per the preliminary election statistics, the BJP led in 44 assembly segments while the INDIA bloc took the lead in 46 assembly segments across 10 parliamentary constituencies

The Congress led in all 18 assembly segments of Rohtak and Sirsa parliamentary constituencies from where Deepender Hooda and Kumari Selja won by huge margins of 3.45 lakh votes and 2.68 lakh votes, respectively. (HT File)

Chandigarh

Updated on Jun 06, 2024 07:48 AM IST

ByHitender Rao, Chandigarh

Haryana: As Congress cruises, bumpy ride ahead for Saini govt

The BJP had won 40 seats in the 90-member assembly in 2019 polls and formed the government with the support of 10 MLAs of Dushyant Chautala’s Jannayak Janta Party (JJP), seven Independents and one Haryana Lokhit Party (HLP) MLA. Later, one Independent, Balraj Kundu withdrew his support.

Ruling BJP’s loss of five Lok Sabha seats in the state can have a bearing on the stability of its government in Haryana which is tottering being in minority. Doubts over the BJP government’s stability also arise in view of an improved Lok Sabha performance of the Congress in the state thus making it an attractive proposition for the party hoppers searching for a toehold. (HT Photo)

Chandigarh

Updated on Jun 05, 2024 09:10 AM IST

ByHitender Rao, Chandigarh

BJP tally down to five as Congress scripts comeback story in Haryana

The BJP which had won all the 10 Lok Sabha seats in 2019, nine of them with substantial margins running into lakhs, could only retain Kurukshetra, Karnal, Gurugram, Faridabad and Bhiwani-Mahendergarh this election.

Some resounding wins, a few close shaves; and see-saw battles. This was the story in Haryana where the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its principal rival, the Congress on Tuesday shared the spoils, bagging five Lok Sabha seats each in Haryana as the election results indicated a revival for the faction-ridden Congress in the state. (Manoj Dhaka/HT)

Chandigarh

Updated on Jun 05, 2024 09:08 AM IST

ByHitender Rao, Chandigarh

Delhi-Haryana water dispute: ‘Hry supplying 1,049 cusecs at Munak, Delhi needs better water mgmt’

Actual water delivered at Delhi contact point Bawana was 950 cusecs per day for entire May, which is 11 cusecs more as against 939 cusecs determined by Upper Yamuna River Board after accounting for en route losses - Haryana officials

Officials said that actual water delivered at Delhi contact point Bawana was 950 cusecs per day for the entire month of May. (HT Photo)

Chandigarh

Updated on Jun 01, 2024 07:30 AM IST

ByHitender Rao, Chandigarh

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