Plantation, Blood Donation, Yoga and Spiritual Activities, Along with Education and Reformation Initiatives, to be Organised from September 17 to October 17

Chandigarh, September 11 – Haryana Cooperation, Jails, Tourism, Heritage and Elections Minister, Dr Arvind Sharma, said that to mark Prime Minister Sh. Narendra Modi’s completion of 25 years of service, dedication and nation-building in public life, the ‘Seva Sankalp Campaign’ will be organised in jails across the state from September 17 to October 17. During the campaign, plantation drives, blood donation camps, yoga, health and spiritual activities, along with initiatives related to education and reformation, will be organised in the jails. Maximum participation of inmates will be ensured in the campaign.

Objective is to Take the Message of Service and Positive Thinking to Jails

Dr Arvind Sharma said that Prime Minister Sh. Narendra Modi has accorded priority to service in his public life and emphasised making every section of society a partner in nation-building. The same message will be taken to the jails during the Seva Sankalp Campaign. Plantation will convey the message of environmental conservation, blood donation as service, yoga for good health and spiritual activities for positive thinking.

Directions to Prepare Jail-Wise Programmes

The Jails Minister has directed all jail officers in the state to prepare jail-wise programmes for effective implementation of the campaign. He said that a detailed schedule of different activities should be prepared in advance for each jail from September 17 to October 17 so that programmes can be organised continuously throughout the month. Instead of limiting the campaign to a single event, activities should be planned keeping in view the facilities available in the jails and the participation of inmates.

Dialogue to be Held with Young Inmates

During the campaign, special interaction will also be held with young inmates pursuing education in jails. They will be encouraged to share their views on service, education, future, skills and return to the mainstream of society, and will be given an opportunity to put forward their views and suggestions. The Jails Minister directed the officers to ensure the active participation of such inmates.

Focus on Education and Reformation Activities

Dr. Arvind Sharma said that activities related to education and reformation are already being undertaken in jails, and the participation of inmates associated with these activities will be further increased during the Seva Sankalp Campaign. Training in various ITI trades, along with programmes related to IGNOU, open schooling and literacy, are also being conducted in the state’s jails.

He said that the objective of the campaign is to further strengthen the positive environment in jails and inspire inmates to reconnect with the mainstream of society through service, education, health, environmental conservation and spiritual activities.

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*Haryana Makes Major HIV Control Breakthrough, Closes in on National ‘95-95-95’ Targets*

*State jumps from 85.2% to 93.2% in diagnosis coverage since January; five districts achieve full target status as massive statewide youth and awareness campaign launched*

Chandigarh, September 11 - Haryana has recorded a major breakthrough in its fight against HIV/AIDS, significantly improving its performance on the global 95-95-95 targets within months and emerging among the country’s top-performing states, Additional Chief Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Sumita Misra said here today.

Giving details of the accelerated implementation of the National AIDS Control Programme (NACP), Dr. Misra said Haryana has made substantial progress through aggressive patient tracking, targeted interventions, expanded testing, stronger treatment retention and an unprecedented statewide awareness campaign, particularly focused on young people and vulnerable communities.

The state, which stood at 85.2 per cent in the first 95 target and 83.7 per cent in the second 95 target in January 2026, has now surged to 93.2 per cent and 90.9 per cent respectively, while it has already crossed the third target with 95.8 per cent viral suppression.

Dr. Misra said the improvement reflects Haryana's intensified efforts to ensure that people living with HIV are diagnosed, placed on treatment and achieve viral suppression.

In a significant district-level achievement, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Bhiwani, Panchkula and Yamunanagar have achieved full target status of ‘Surakshit’ across the key operational goals of diagnosis, treatment and viral suppression. Haryana's overall performance has placed the state among the six top-performing states in the country, she added.

Several other districts, including Ambala, Jind, Palwal, Faridabad, Rewari and Sonipat, have achieved critical treatment targets and are rapidly moving towards full target status as ‘Saksham’ districts.

Dr Misra said Haryana has adopted an intensive tracking and patient-retention strategy to bring back people who had discontinued treatment or were lost to follow-up. Nearly half of such individuals have been successfully re-engaged with the health system, helping ensure continuity of life-saving treatment.

The Haryana State AIDS Control Society has also strengthened its network of Integrated Counselling and Testing Centres, Anti-Retroviral Therapy Centres and Suraksha Clinics, providing free HIV testing, counselling, treatment support and viral load monitoring across the state.

The Additional Chief Secretary said special emphasis is being placed on reaching populations that remain vulnerable or difficult to access. Targeted interventions, including night and evening outreach programmes, are being conducted for migrants, truck drivers, female sex workers, injecting drug users and transgender communities.

Haryana has also stepped up HIV screening through daily testing protocols in prisons and Opioid Substitution Therapy Centres, besides organising evening and weekend camps to reach communities that may otherwise remain outside the routine health-care network.

To ensure accountability and faster implementation, the Project Director of Haryana State AIDS Control Society and her team are conducting regular district visits, reviews and monitoring exercises. The state has also strengthened coordination with Delhi, Punjab, Rajasthan, Chandigarh and Himachal Pradesh to trace and reconnect persons lost to follow-up.

Dr. Misra said integrated health camps are being organised to reach unreached populations with comprehensive screening for HIV, Hepatitis-B, Hepatitis-C and non-communicable diseases.

In a major communication push, Haryana has launched an extensive multi-media Information, Education and Communication campaign aimed at taking HIV prevention messages to every section of society.

Awareness messages are being displayed through LED screens at major railway stations and busy roadside locations, while video spots are being screened in cinema halls and broadcast on Doordarshan. Audio campaigns are being run through All India Radio, private FM channels and bus station announcement systems. The campaign also includes public transport branding through auto-hood wraps and cab displays, supported by sustained digital outreach through the official social media platforms of Haryana SACS.

Taking the campaign to the grassroots, an intensive Folk Media Campaign will begin across all districts from September 15, using traditional art forms to promote HIV testing, challenge myths and misinformation and fight stigma and discrimination at the village and block levels.

Youth mobilisation has emerged as another major pillar of Haryana's intensified campaign. Under the Intensified IEC Campaign 2026, high-visibility events, including a major biker rally and walkathon in Panchkula and flash mobs at prominent public places, are being organised to spread HIV prevention awareness.

Red Ribbon Quiz Competitions, organised in coordination with the Department of Secondary Education, are engaging school students across Haryana, while district-level Red Runs will culminate in a state-level event. Continuous training programmes are also being conducted for Red Ribbon Club Nodal Teachers and Peer Educators to build a sustainable peer-to-peer awareness network in educational institutions.

Dr. Misra said a 16-hour Adolescence Education Programme is also being implemented for students of Classes VIII, IX and XI to create awareness about HIV/AIDS, personal hygiene and related health issues at an early age.

Looking ahead, Haryana is further strengthening coordination among health authorities, district administrations, police and child development agencies to expand screening, particularly among pregnant women, and move closer towards eliminating vertical transmission of HIV.

Dr. Sumita Misra said the state is working with a clear long-term objective in line with the 2030 goal of zero new HIV infections, zero AIDS-related deaths and zero discrimination, with the latest gains demonstrating that Haryana is rapidly moving towards stronger control of the epidemic.