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CM has the distinction of taking most loans: Agnihotri
Says said the state’s growth rate was on the decline and the debt burden had increased manifold
The Congress on Wednesday accused the government of fiscal mismanagement’ during a debate on the general budget.
Leader of opposition Mukesh Agnihotri, who initiated a debate on the general budget, blamed the government for the poor fiscal health of the state. Describing the budget as directionless, Agnihotri warned the government against blaming the previous Congress government for the same.He said the state’s growth rate was on the decline and the debt burden had increased manifold.
Agnihotri accused the government of violating the Fiscal Responsibility And Budget Management Act (FRBM). He said chief minister Jai Ram Thakur had the distinction of taking the maximum loans from different financial institutions. He said the government had raised more loans than the limit fixed under the FRBM Act.
He said as per the act, the government could only raise loans up to 3% of the Gross Domestic Product and as such it could take a loan of ₹5,068 crores but it had borrowed at least ₹10,000 crore: “When the government completes its tenure, its debt burden will be over ₹75,000 crore,”said Agnihotri.
Agnihotri also charged the government of having a lopsided approach to development funds. He said the government received ₹466 crore under the central road funds, of which ₹266 crore were allocated for chief minister Jai Ram Thakur’s constituency Seraj. Agnihotri asked the government to clarify its position on funds received under the Asian Developmebnt Bank, foreign investments in the state and on horticulture projects . He also put the government in dock over resource mobilisation .
Participating in the debate, Nurpur legislator Rakesh Pathania, launched a counter offensive on government . He repeatedly referred to the budget of the previous Congress government.
“Congress government opened many education institutions in the state just to derive a political mileage,” he said, adding that the BJP government was focusing on improving the education standard in the state.
Pathania heaped praises on prime minister Narendra Modi for launching different schemes to accelerate the pace of development in the nation. He said Himachal had received crores under different centrally-sponsored schemes for development of the state.
Pathania also refuted Congress’ allegations of a scam in purchase of medicines for the hospital. He said the Congress government had made it a tradition to raise loans from financial institutions to run day-to-day affairs . Pathania said previous governments had constituted a committee for mobilising resources in the state but no meetings were held during its regime.
Bilaspur legislator Rajender Garg described the budget as growth oriented, while Rohru legislator Mohan Lal Brakta raised the issue of the Theogh- Hatkoti road . He expressed concern over incomplete works. Nalagarh legislator Lakhwinder Singh Rana said the BJP government was yet to fulfilled its election promises.
Irrigation and Institute of Public Health minister Mahender Singh Thakur assured stern action will be taken against officials if any work was allotted to contractors without taking out tenders.
MLA Balbir Singh said chief minister Jai Ram Thakur had focused on every section of the society in the budget . He also attacked leader of opposition Mukesh Agnihotri saying he was locked in a battle of supremacy in his party .
