BJP’s actions reflect anti-state agenda to hinder Himachal’s progress
Industry Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan and PWD Minister Vikramaditya Singh have condemned the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership, specifically National BJP President JP Nadda and MP Anurag Thakur for their failure to secure rightful financial support for Himachal Pradesh from the central government. They questioned when the BJP will deliver the funds which it owes to the state emphasizing that the BJP’s actions reflect an anti-state agenda to hinder the State’s progress.
The ministers said that since the present state government reinstated the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) for its 1.36 lakh employees, the BJP leaders have been conspiring against the State Congress government. Their “Operation Lotus” to grab power has fallen flat, they asserted.
The duo suggested Sh. Nadda to speak on facts rather than creating sensations. They reiterated that the central government is withholding nearly Rs. 10,000 crore of the employees as contributions from them towards the National Pension Scheme (NPS). “When the State implemented the OPS, it was the responsibility of the Union Government to return the funds of the employees contributed towards NPS but it was quite disgusting that they have held the money deliberately.
The Ministers also pointed out various restrictions imposed by the central government on Himachal Pradesh, limiting the state’s ability to borrow funds. They condemned the lack of a grant of Rs. 1,780 crore for the implementation of OPS and questioned the BJP leaders on the measures taken to alleviate these constraints.
They said that during the previous BJP government, freebies amounting to Rs. 5,000 crore were distributed within the last six months of their regime which overburdened the state treasury. They criticized the BJP for neglecting the disaster relief fund, stating that the central government has not released the relief amount as per the Post Disaster Need Assessment (PDNA) claims submitted by the state.
The Congress government has taken proactive steps to address the disaster’s impact by allocating Rs.4500 crore from its own resources to rebuild over 23,000 damaged houses and give relief to the disaster affected. The BJP leaders walked out of the State Assembly rather than supporting the claim of disaster relief fund from the centre and get declare Himachal’s tragedy as a ‘National Disaster’. This clearly demonstrates the double standards of BJP leaders, who, in pursuit of their petty political gains, neglected the rights and the needs of people in distress.
The Duo reaffirmed their commitment to the welfare of women, stating that those eligible were receiving financial assistance of Rs. 1,500 per month. They denounced the BJP’s attempts to spread disinformation about the economic crisis in Himachal, asserting that the state was progressing towards self-reliance through systematic reforms.
They reminded the public of the job recruitment and mining scams that occurred during the BJP regime. They emphasized that the Congress government is dedicated to transparency and accountability, as demonstrated by its decisions aimed at benefiting the public and revitalizing the dipping economy as was weakened by the previous government’s excessive spending. They expressed confidence that the people of Himachal Pradesh do well recognize that the BJP leaders’ attempted to tarnish the image and reputation of the government’s reputation and which will not be allowed.
Meanwhile, later, Deputy Chief Whip Kewal Singh Pathania said that in a federal structure, it becomes the responsibility of the Union Government to release plan and non-plan budget. He reminded Sh. Nadda that in the recent Lok Sabha elections, the BJP secured around 62 percent votes and their responsibility towards the welfare of the State increases manifold. All four BJP, MPs have added responsibility and they should not spread misdemeanour amongst the masses of the State. The constitution also provides provisions for financial relations between the Centre and the State and it is the constitutional right of the state to ask for its legitimate share from the centre, which the Union government has withheld as of now.