Tau Devi Lal, the architect of social welfare

Today is the 23rd death anniversary of Jagat Tau Devilal social welfare warrior. During the years 1977 to 1979, 1987 to 1989 and 1990-91 as the Chief Minister of the State and Deputy Prime Minister of the country, as the Chief of Haryana Police (Intelligence Department) and in the year 2000-2001 as the Chief of Police of the State. The author considers himself fortunate to have been there and to have a close relationship with them.

Once in the year 1994, Ch. When Devi Lal was asked what was the biggest achievement of his reign, Ch. Sir said that social welfare measures, old age pension and loan waiver scheme is the biggest achievement of my reign. This was the first time that any state government had started such programs for social security/welfare. He used to say that Lokraj runs from Loklaj. Ch. Devilal was a great renunciate and rich in ascetic personality. A living example of this is that former Prime Minister Late. Standing in the central hall of the Indian Parliament, Mr. Chandrashekhar ji publicly proposed Tau’s name for the post of Prime Minister, but Jannayak Chow. Devi Lal immediately standing in his place rejected this proposal with complete humility and at the same time He himself put the crown of the post of Prime Minister on the head of Vishwanath Pratap Singh. Such an example will hardly be seen in the history of India.

Jannayak Ch. Devilal knew very well that India is an agricultural country and the rural society is struggling with ignorance and unemployment. He also knew that the children of farmers, workers, small cultivators and shopkeepers, Harijans and poor sections can neither get good education nor any resources have been mobilized for good education for them in independent India. Therefore, in this area, they lag far behind the children of the rich, wealthy class and resourceful people. But if they are selected on the basis of fairness and merit in government jobs, they can come forward. That’s why he had provided free bus travel facility to unemployed youths and girls during his Chief Minister’s rule to go for examination and interview. Ch. Sir was aware of the fact that most of the children of the rural society leave their studies midway due to poverty and only 25 to 30 percent of the children are able to get the tenth or above education with great difficulty. He also knew that there is no dearth of sporting talent in rural children, so about 1050 schools were opened during his reign, which was 25 percent more than the number of schools opened in 1966-1977 and 1979-1987. Similarly, he made adequate appointments of sports coaches and established new sports stadiums. It is surprising that the budget of the sports department in 1966-1967 was only 1.29 lakhs. Tau Devilal increased this budget to 214.50 lakhs. Not only this, this great warrior of independent India, during his reign from 1987-1989, not only created a new enthusiasm among the sportspersons by making a provision of 3% reservation in the police department for sportspersons, but also set a new standard for the sports world in the whole of India. It can be called a revolutionary step.

His great interest in agricultural development is not only well known but it is also evident from the fact that in the year 1989 Shri V.P. The author had the privilege of meeting him at the Chief Minister’s residence on the same day when Singh invited him to perform his duties in the Central Government after Tau was crowned Prime Minister. During the conversation, he expressed his wish that for the welfare of the farmer-agricultural laborers, I aspired for the post of Agriculture Minister of this country and that happened. Statistics show that the production of food grains and oilseeds increased by 37 lakh tonnes during the two periods of his Chief Ministership. Similarly, he had a special contribution in the modernization of agriculture. During his reign, the number of tractors increased by more than 5 thousand as compared to the previous reigns. Keeping the respect of the farmers, he proudly waived the registration fee of the tractor, saying with great pride that – a tractor is a pit of farmers and agricultural labourers, which is a historic decision of his time. Similarly, in the area of ​​irrigation, the irrigated area increased by more than 17.2 percent and more than 120,000 tube wells were installed, whose number is 30 percent more than the period of the second reign of 29 years. People’s leader in the field of co-operatives too. Devilal had a special contribution. In a total period of 29 years, 8 new sugar mills were set up and during this period 6 years i.e. K. During Devi Lal’s tenure, 2 new sugar mills were set up, which is 25 percent of the total growth. I humbly bow down to Tau Devi Lal, the messiah of the workers, farmers, laborers and the poor.

He never dies, whose qualities remain.
He is not missing who is yet to be mentioned.
(The writer is former Director General of Haryana Police)

– Dr. Mahendra Singh Malik