Dy CM presents White paper on State financial management in Himachal Assembly, Himachal’s cumulative Liability mounts to whooping Rs. 92774 Cr
Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri presented a white paper in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly revealing the state financial management till the Financial year 2022-23. The white paper stated that Himachal is among the worst debt trap state as RBI figure it in the most and fifth debt-ridden states.
Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri presented a white paper in the House accusing the previous Jairam government of financial mismanagement. He said that it was after 25 years when this paper was being laid and the financial situation was left silently.
According to the report of the Reserve Bank of India, Himachal Pradesh has reached the fifth position among the most debt states moreover the state figures in the category big and small states that have taken maximum loan. Blaming the previous BJP government for the increasing whooping burden on the state exchequer Dy CM blamed that the previous Government borrowed Rs 16262 Crore in the year 2022-23 in the election year which is 227 more than compared to the financial year 2021-22 however during the last five years the previous government did not take any steps to balance the financial management in Himachal Pradesh.
He said that the state government today is under cumulative liabilities of more than Rs 92,774 crore. Dearness allowance was announced and a recommendation of pay commission was announced however the funds were not disbursed to pay the same. He said that the previous government announced to release of the payment of Rs 10 thousand crore for salary and Rs 600 Cr for DA was not released to the employees. He said that besides the previous rule also handed over other labilities of Rs 5544 crore to this Government therefore the state is under the cumulative liabilities of Rs 92,774 crore have been added.
He blamed the reckless borrowing and poor financial mismanagement has made the state most debt-ridden in the country. He said that the situation of Himachal is most precarious as according to budget estimates for 2023 and 2024, Rs 9,048 crore has to be paid in repayment of loans and their interest.
He said that the BJP government inherited loan liability tunes to Rs 47,906 crore in 2017-18 when it came in the power however it took Rs 28,784 more loans with an average increase of 12 percent.
Deputy CM said that today every child takes birth with a debt of Rs 1,02,818 however the burden of per capita debt was only Rs 66,000 when Jai Ram Thakur came into power.
Revealing the financial management of public sector undertaking in the red Dy Cm said that out of 23 PSUs 13 are in losses and the cumulative losses mounted to Rs 5000 Cr from the loss making PSUs. He said that the BJP got a hike of eight percent from 15 the Finance
The commission however previous Congress have got a hike of Rs 232 pc. Deputy CM said that the biggest sin they have made is that they made a plan to borrow Rs 16,261 crore in the last election year however BJP taking overrun on the expense account could not manage to win the election. The biggest allegation against the BJP rule was that they were indulged in the spendthrift for celebrating many Amrit Mahotsav and Jan Manch. He also accused the state of being left in a debt trap as the previous government could not present the state case properly before the Fifteenth Finance Commission. Mr. Agnihotri also stated that state funds were misused by the last Government for organizing election rallies and programs and people never got buses during the election rallies. He said that the BJP government deployed two hundred buses in every constituency and Rs 8.50 Cr is yet to be paid for the HRTC. He said that the state recorded a loss of Rs 2057 Cr in the GST and the Centre refused to pay the state government share to announce the Old Pension Scheme when Congress came into power. The house also witnessed a ruckus in the House, All the members of the Opposition came down on the well of house when Deputy Chief Minister was presenting the white paper in the house. He said that that since their misdeeds were coming forth they were shouting in the house so that nothing could be heard. He said that the state government had promised that a white paper would be brought before the people of the state and the announcement was fulfilled.