Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said that the media has played a crucial role in nation-building from the time of independence to the present day. Appreciating the dedication of media persons who base their writing on the national interest, he said that freedom of the media is a pillar of a strong democracy and reflects the positive vision of Prime Minister Sh Narendra Modi.
The Chief Minister was speaking as the chief guest at the annual convention of the Haryana Union of Working Journalists, held on Friday in Rohtak.
On the occasion of Hindi Patrakarita Diwas (Hindi Journalism Day), he extended his congratulations and best wishes to all media persons and saluted the “sentinels of the pen.” Haryana Education Minister Sh Mahipal Dhanda, former Minister Sh Manish Grover, and Baba Kapilpuri Ji Maharaj were present as special guests. The Chief Minister formally inaugurated the convention by lighting the ceremonial lamp.
Nayab Singh Saini, while addressing the media persons who are performing the duty of journalism being a descendant of Maharishi Narad Muni, said that this day also holds spiritual significance as a time to pay tribute to the martyrdom of the fifth Sikh Guru, Shri Guru Arjan Dev Ji, who sacrificed his life to protect religion. He also paid homage to Arut Ji Maharaj on his birth anniversary. He expressed confidence that Prime Minister Sh Narendra Modi’s vision of a ‘Viksit Bharat’ (Developed India) is becoming a reality, with the nation steadily advancing towards global leadership.
Highlighting the role of media persons in the country’s freedom movement, Chief Minister Sh Nayab Singh Saini said that media persons have always played a pivotal role in shaping society and continue to guide it with their insightful contributions. He emphasized that, with their constant support, the nation is progressing steadily. Acknowledging the media as the fourth pillar of democracy, he added that the Haryana Government is committed to safeguarding the interests of the media and is taking effective steps in this direction.
Nayab Singh Saini said that the media plays a vital role in ensuring that government welfare schemes reach the common people. He praised the media’s active involvement in not only helping beneficiary’s access these schemes but also in raising awareness within society. Encouraging the media fraternity to uphold ethical journalism, he urged them to highlight the government’s efficient functioning. He assured that the government is fostering a media-friendly environment where media persons can exercise their freedom fearlessly in the interest of society.
The Chief Minister announced a grant of Rs. 21 lakh at the annual convention of the Haryana Union of Working Journalists. He also assured the union that their demands would be considered sympathetically.
On this occasion, Mayor, Rohtak Municipal Corporation, Sh Ramavatar Balmiki; BJP District President Sh Ranbir Dhaka; Divisional Commissioner Sh P.C. Meena; ADGP Y. Puran Kumar; Deputy Commissioner Sh Dharmender Singh; Media Advisor to the Chief Minister Sh Rajiv Jaitley; and other dignitaries were also present.
CET 2025: HSS Commission launches helpline service
Pay attention while applying says Bhupender Chauhan
Application may be rejected for wrong photo or document
Member, Haryana Staff Selection Commission (HSSC), Sh. Bhupender Chauhan said that to assist candidates applying for CET 2025, the commission has launched a special helpline service. He said that candidates can call the mobile number 90634-93990 to get any information related to CET registration.
Chauhan said that this helpline is meant only for CET candidates. It will help resolve issues, doubts, or technical problems related to the registration process. He encouraged all candidates to use this service and share their feedback to help bring out further improvements.
He further said that the Commission has noticed many candidates are making common but serious mistakes while filling the CET registration form. These errors can lead to rejection of the application. These include, uploading a signature photo in place of a photograph, and vice versa, submitting blurred or side-angle photographs, scanning and uploading the entire A4 sheet with a pasted photo instead of a proper passport-size photo, uploading irrelevant documents like Aadhaar card in the category section.
The Commission has clearly stated that any application with these kinds of errors will be automatically rejected. Therefore, all candidates are advised to be very careful while filling their forms and to follow all instructions properly, he added.
The online application process for CET 2025 for Group-C posts started on May 28, 2025. The last date to submit the application is June 12, 2025, up to 11:59 pm, and the last date to pay the fee is June 14, 2025, until 6:00 pm.
*Haryana to Conduct State-Wide Civil Defence Exercise “Operation Shield” on May 31 to Strengthen Emergency Preparedness – Dr. Sumita Misra*
*Around 32,000 volunteers enrolled as Civil Defence Volunteers till date*
The Haryana Government is set to conduct a major state-wide Civil Defence exercise, named “Operation Shield,” on May 31, across all 22 districts to enhance the state’s emergency preparedness and response capabilities. Scheduled to begin at 5:00 PM, this comprehensive drill is being organized under the guidance of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, to simulate critical incidents such as air raids, drone attacks, and other wartime scenarios in the light of current national security concerns. Earlier, this mock drill was scheduled for May 29 but was postponed as per the instructions of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
While interacting with media persons here today, Additional Chief Secretary, Home Department, Dr. Sumita Misra, stated that the exercise aims to test existing emergency mechanisms, improve coordination between the civil administration, defence forces, and local communities and to identify areas that need to be strengthened, thus ensuring swift and effective response during any crisis. She informed that currently there are around 32,000 Civil Defence Volunteers across state who will also contribute in this exercise. All Deputy Commissioners have been directed to call out Civil Defence Volunteers, NSS, NCC, Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS), Home Gaurds, etc. of their respective districts in order to brief them regarding their deployment, duties and exercises to be undertaken.
She further stated that, key components include drills responding to aerial threats such as air raids and swarms of unmanned aerial vehicles (drones), activation of air raid sirens, and testing of control room communication hotlines established with the Indian Air Force. Additionally, a controlled blackout of 15 minutes will be observed from 8:00 PM to 8:15 PM near vital installations, with exception of essential emergency services such as hospitals, fire stations, and police stations.
Dr. Misra highlighted that the exercise aligns with the Incident Response System (IRS), which Haryana officially notified on January 28, 2025, under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, providing a structured framework for effective emergency response. She directed all Deputy Commissioners, who are also Chairpersons of District Disaster Management Authorities, along with Commissioners and Superintendents of Police, to ensure meticulous planning and execution of the exercise in their jurisdictions. They have been instructed to submit detailed Action Taken Reports to the Commandant General, Home Guards, and Director, Civil Defence, Haryana, which will be compiled for state-level review and forwarded to the Ministry of Home Affairs. The above mock exercises are scheduled for May 31 between 5 PM to 9 PM and should not be the cause of alarm for the citizen.
