CM Sukhu blames BJP for Himachal’s ‘precarious’ fiscal health
Commotion in the House as members from both sides engage in a heated exchange; later opposition stages a walkout. Tearing into the opposition BJP on the issue of Himachal’s economy being in the “doldrums”, CM Sukhu claimed that the BJP government left state in a debt trap of ₹75,000 crore
Tearing into the opposition BJP on the issue of Himachal’s economy being in the “doldrums”, chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Thursday claimed that the previous BJP government left the state in a debt trap of ₹75,000 crore and ₹11,000 crore liabilities.
Replying to the debate on budget estimates for the year 2023-24, the chief minister said that the erstwhile BJP government had announced the Sixth Pay Commission but its arrears were not given to the employees and pensioners.
Terming the state’s fiscal health precarious, Sukhu said that the BJP regime also announced dearness allowance (DA) amounting to ₹990 crore for employees and pensioners just before the elections, but it was not released.
Due to the “economic mismanagement” of the previous government, the new government had to take a loan of ₹1,300 crore in January, ₹1,500 crore in February and ₹1,500 crore in March, said Sukhu.
He said the present government has had to take a loan of ₹ 4,300 crore in just three months of its rule. He said that every person in the state has a debt of ₹92,833 on his head.
The chief minister further said that the impact of the schemes announced in the Budget 2023-24 would start showing in the next year. He said that if Himachal succeeds in achieving 50% of the target of a green state by March 2026, the debt burden on the state will come down considerably.
He said that the present government wants to see Himachal standing on its own feet and for this the government will take more tough decisions in the coming days. He said that the government is working on a policy related to investment and it will be announced in the current session itself.
The CM said that his government has brought the current budget to convert the vision into reality. He said that it was much needed to bring the financial condition of the state back on track.
He said that the state government has made a provision of ₹92 crore for Him Care Yojana, ₹62 crore for Sahara Yojana, ₹30 crore each for Atal Adarsh School Yojna and Mukhyamantri Kanyadan Yojana. He said that these schemes have not been stopped and the opposition is “misleading” the people.
He also said that the government will spend ₹2,000 crore from its exchequer on land acquisition for the expansion of Kangra airport. He said that the government will develop Lahaul-Spiti for winter sports and Pong reservoir as a water sports venue. The government will also give 50% subsidy on the purchase of e-goods carriers and e-auto rickshaws in the state.
Earlier, there was bedlam in the assembly as the opposition staged the ruckus and walkout as they were dissatisfied with Sukhu’s reply to the three-day discussion on the state budget for the year 2023-24 in the House. During this, the opposition members moved into the well of the House and raised slogans.
Shortly after the chief minister began his reply on the budget discussions, the opposition members interrupted his speech when he mentioned about giving a monthly allowance of ₹1,500 to 2.31 lakh women of the state. The entire opposition stood and started demanding clarification from the government. There was a commotion in the House as the members from both sides were engaged in a heated exchange. The opposition after raising slogans trooped into the well of the House and raised slogans while Sukhu continued with his speech. Later, they again returned to their seats and wanted to raise their demand. When speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania rejected the demand, the opposition member walked out of the House.
