Dhumal slams government for poor economic situation in HP
Hitting out at the Virbhadra Singh government for the financial crisis in Himachal Pradesh, former chief minister and leader of Opposition Prem Kumar Dhumal on Monday said that development has come to a standstill in the state under current the Congress regime.
Hitting out at the Virbhadra Singh government for the financial crisis in Himachal Pradesh, former chief minister and leader of Opposition Prem Kumar Dhumal on Monday said that development has come to a standstill in the state under current the Congress regime.
Dhumal, who was here to appear in a trial court in connection with the case registered against the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA), alleged that instead of taking concrete steps to pull the state out the financial crunch, the government was resorting to emergency-like measures, including increasing the fee in educational institutions and not releasing the DA of employees.
Interacting with the media here, Dhumal alleged that the Congress government in its previous regime from 2002 to 2007 had raised loans to the tune of `8270 crore. “Despite this, the Congress government didn't pay 5% interim relief to the state employees,” he alleged.
He claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), after forming government in 2008, paid all the pending arrears of employees and pensioners.
“The fiscal health of the state improved during the BJP regime as the government raised a loan of just `6672 crore,” Dhumal said.
“The present Congress government during its rule over a year and 10 months has raised a loan of abour `4500 crore, including Rs. 2100 crore, in the current financial year,” he added.
Dhumal said that the government could cross the limit of raising the loan fixed by RBI in case it fails to generate its own resources and continues raising loans.
“According to sources, the Reserve Bank of India has already warned the state government of the shaky fiscal health in the state,” he said.
“Despite the poor economic situation in the state, the government is burdening the state exchequer by appointing chairmen and vice-chairmen of boards and corporations,” Dhumal alleged.
He said that the state agriculture university was not able to pay pension to its retired staff, but was sending delegations, including politicians, to foreign countries.
Dhumal earlier met members of Kangra District Bar Association and assured them all possible help in setting up of circuit bench of Himachal Pradesh high court at Dharamsala.
