3 min readChandigarhJan 15, 2026 08:42 PM IST
First published on: Jan 15, 2026 at 08:42 PM IST
Leader of the Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Thursday sought to counter Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini’s projecting “Haryana Governance Model” as a roadmap for Punjab’s revival, stating 1,446 factories in Haryana either closed down or relocated since 2018-19 and accused the BJP-led state government of not being able to curtail their migration.
Hooda also pointed at Haryana’s growing debt, poor ranking in NITI Aayog’s Fiscal Health Index, and NCRB’s report on increasing corruption to drive a point home.
Addressing a gathering at the BJP’s first-ever Maghi mela political conference in Muktsar on Wednesday, Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini projected the “Haryana Governance Model” as a roadmap for Punjab’s revival in the run-up to the 2027 Assembly elections in the state.
“Punjab is not just our neighbouring state, it shares a blood relationship with Haryana,” Saini had said, adding, “Haryana loves Punjab and wants to see it flourish.”
Hooda, on the other hand, alleged that the condition of the industrial sector during the BJP’s rule has become extremely worrying. “As per data released recently, 1,446 factories in Haryana have either closed down or relocated since 2018-19. The Reserve Bank of India provided this information based on data from the Annual Survey of Industries released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation. This migration is leading to increased unemployment, economic decline, crime and migration in Haryana,” the former Haryana chief minister said.
Further explaining the figures, Hooda said, “The industrial sector in Haryana has declined by 12.2 per cent in the past 5 years, because the ruling BJP government is not paying any attention to it. In contrast, the Congress government established six new IMTs (HSIIDC industrial areas) during its tenure. The Congress also brought major industries like Maruti, Asian Paints, NTPC, Reliance, Honda, IOC, Panasonic, Yokohama and Denso to the state. The Congress government also approved the rail coach factory and an international airport.”
“The BJP government is only focused on event management and propaganda, which is far removed from the ground reality. Today, even economists and intellectuals have lost faith in the BJP government because Haryana’s economic situation is alarming. From 1966 to 2014, the state’s total debt was Rs 60,000 crore, which has now increased to more than Rs 5 lakh crore,” the senior Congress leader pointed out.
“In the NITI Aayog’s Fiscal Health Index, Haryana ranks 14th among 18 states. A Debt-to-GSDP ratio of over 31 per cent indicates the state is trapped in a deep debt cycle. According to the NCRB report, corruption cases have increased by 187 per cent in the past three years. Haryana has reached the sixth position in corruption. All reports indicate that the BJP has failed on every front,” Hooda alleged.
Hooda also pointed at Haryana's growing debt, poor ranking in NITI Aayog's Fiscal Health Index, and NCRB's report on increasing corruption to drive a point home. (File Photo, enhanced with AI)
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