On the first anniversary of his government, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Monday said that acute financial crunch and monsoon disaster came as a major hurdle in fulfilling the poll guarantees but still the Congress government implemented three major promises.
Addressing a rally at Dharamshala Police Ground to mark one year of his government, he lashed out at the BJP for alleging that the government failed to implement the poll guarantees and said that three main guarantees, including restoration of old pension scheme, introducing English in the government schools and Rs 680 crore Rajiv Gandhi start-up scheme have been implemented, despite acute financial crunch. He added that three more guarantees would be fulfilled next year.
The present state government was focused towards changing the system and has taken many decisions in this regard, said the Chief Minister. "In one year, our government has laid the strong foundation for making Himachal self-reliant and by the year 2027, Himachal will become an ideal example of a self-reliant state. Our dedicated and continuous efforts would ensure that Himachal becomes one of the most prosperous states of India by the year 2032," He reiterated and added that the government's revenue has increased by Rs. 500 crore from the auction of liquor contracts.
Sukhu further said the government has initiated the process to give Rs 1,500 per month to women in the 18 to 60 years age bracket but natural disasters put spokes. "I am now declaring that the women in Lahaul and Spiti district would get Rs 1,500 per month and 2.37 lakh women in the state drawing Rs 1,100 pension per month would get Rs 1,500 from the next year," he added.
The chief minister had earlier on Himachal Day, which is observed on April 15, announced to provide Rs 1,500 to all the 9,000 women of Spiti above 18 years of age from June 2023. Taking potshots at the Centre and state BJP leaders for not giving adequate relief to the state during the worst ever natural disaster, Sukhu said that neither our demand to declare the calamity in the state as 'National Disaster' was fulfilled nor were we given a special relief package of Rs 12,000 crore.
Sukhu said that a plan has been chalked out to purchase cow dung at Rs 2 per kilo and the procurement price of milk would be increased from Rs 31 to Rs 37 per litre from January next year and 20,000 jobs would be given in one year. He said that every Himachali is today under a debt of Rs 1.02 lakh due to the previous BJP government's financial mismanagement. Sukhu added that his government would keep the foundation of self-sufficient Himachal Pradesh and also bring changes in the system.
Sukhu said that during the tenure of the previous BJP government, question paper leaks in the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) was a common phenomenon. To end corruption and in the interest of the youth, the government has decided to dissolve the SSC. He added that the previous BJP government took a huge loan of Rs. 14,000 crore in its last year to win the elections. The consequences of huge debt were passed on to the present government. Apart from dealing with the situation, the government also decided to inform the people about the poor economic condition of the state. For this, a committee was formed under the leadership of the Deputy Chief Minister and a white paper was brought on the state's finances.
The state government adopted 4,000 orphans as 'Children of the State', made the country's first law for their welfare and started 'Mukhyamantri Sukhashraya Yojana'. Under the scheme, the state government is providing proper assistance for the care and higher education till they attain the age of 27 years, Sh. Sukhu said.
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri said that the BJP leaders have become blind and cannot see development in the state. The government is stable and lasting which would complete its five-year term and no conspiracy to destabilise the government would succeed, he added.
Congress MP and party's Himachal Pradesh in-charge Rajiv Shukla lambasted the ruling BJP at the Centre for discrimination with the state. "Why discrimination with Himachal, which the prime minister claimed to be his second home...The Union government has not even given Rs 12 let go of Rs 12,000 crore special package as sought by the state government," said Shukla. “Where was the PM when the people at his home (HP) were facing disaster? he asked taking a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi stating that he would only be spotted during the elections.
Himachal Pradesh Congress chief and Mandi MP Pratibha Singh on her part said that after implementing the old pension scheme, the state government was moving towards providing Rs 1,500 to the women per month but the monsoon disaster struck and life went haywire in the state. "We would fulfil our promise," she asserted. Singh said, “I am upset that despite meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the Parliament Session and asking him to declare calamity in Himachal Pradesh as a national disaster on the pattern of Bhuj and Kedarnath disasters, he ignored my plea and did not even help us financially."
"We could not give pace to work in the past one year but keep faith in us that we would fulfil all the promises in the next four years and have started providing employment to the youth," she added.
The posters and banners highlighting the Congress government's achievements in the past one year adorned Dharamshala and the people clad in traditional costumes were seen dancing to the tunes of their folk music outside the venue.
