Chandigarh, Jan 3 : In a major decision aimed at providing substantial relief to rural households, the Haryana Cabinet, led by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, on Wednesday approved the waiver of outstanding water charges, including surcharge and interest, amounting to Rs 372.13 crore. This decision is set to benefit crores of water consumers in general categories and Scheduled Castes across the state. An announcement to this effect was made by the Chief Minister during a 'Jan Samvad' held in Mahendergarh district. This decision will extend relief to a substantial 28.87 lakh water connection holders in rural areas. However, it does not extend to institutional, commercial, or industrial consumers falling under the Public Health Engineering Department. The Cabinet has approved the waiver of water charges accumulated from April 1, 2015, to December 31, 2022, for all types of consumers in villages and rural areas. In addition, the Cabinet has accorded approval for the waiver of surcharge and interest totaling Rs 37.93 crore on water charges accumulated from April 1, 2015, to December 31, 2023, in villages and rural areas. To enhance the enforcement capabilities of the Transport Department, the Cabinet accorded approval to bestow challaning powers upon transport inspectors under Rule 225 of the Haryana Motor Vehicles Rules 1993. Currently, there are 114 positions for inspectors in the state, with 66 officers in the Transport Department already assigned primarily to enforcement duties. These enforcement officers will be in addition to 22 DTO-cum-Secretary RTA, 22 Motor Vehicle Officer (Enforcement), and seven Assistant Secretary-level officers. By empowering additional officers with challaning powers, the government ensures an improved implementation of the Motor Vehicle Act, contributing to safer and more regulated transportation practices across the state. The Cabinet also gave its nod to the policy on development of eco-tourism. It aims to harness the state's rich biodiversity, ecosystems, heritage monuments, and cultural diversity. This initiative is a step towards positioning Haryana as a premier eco-tourism destination, offering a harmonious blend of nature, culture, and community engagement. The government invites stakeholders, tourists, and nature enthusiasts to participate actively in realizing the objectives of the eco-tourism policy that will focus on preserving state's existing biodiversity, ecosystems, heritage monuments, culture, and traditions while promoting traditional ecological knowledge, and heritage values of wilderness. The Forest and Wildlife Department has developed eco-tourism facilities at Chuharpur and Bansataur in Yamunanagar, Thapli in Panchkula, nature trail in Panchkula and Yamunanagar and Masani in Rewari district to promote eco-tourism. /IANS