Himachal Pradesh Assembly on Wednesday passed the Rs 62,387.61 crore budget for the 2025-26 fiscal along with the Appropriation Bill, authorizing the government to utilize funds from the Consolidated Fund. Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania applied the guillotine procedure, passing several demands without discussion after debating key sectors like health, public works, police, and roads and bridges.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, who also holds the finance portfolio, had presented his third budget on March 17, 2025. Notably, no new taxes were imposed. The budget allocated 45 percent for salaries and pensions, 24 percent for development, 12 percent for interest payments, and nine percent each for debt repayment and subsidies.
Among the key announcements are 25,000 new jobs for youth; additional DA for employees and pensioners; arrears of revised pay scales for employees aged 70-75; and focus on tourism, rural development, and green energy.
The budget deficit stands at Rs 6,390 crore, while the fiscal deficit is estimated at Rs 10,338 crore.
Speaker Warns Against Unauthorized Use of Assembly Premises
Shimla: Himachal Pradesh Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania on Wednesday stated that only sitting MLAs can use the Assembly premises, and former legislators are not authorized to address the media inside the Vidhan Sabha.
His remarks came after BJP MLA Randhir Sharma raised concerns over former Congress MLA Bamber Thakur addressing media persons inside the Assembly premises, where he allegedly accused BJP leaders of shielding criminals involved in an attack on him.
Thakur, who survived a gun attack on Holi in Bilaspur, had alleged that the attackers were protected by BJP leaders and linked to the drug trade. However, Leader of the Opposition Jai Ram Thakur objected, arguing that naming individuals inside the Assembly when an investigation is ongoing is inappropriate.
Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri also urged the Speaker to issue a clear ruling on outsiders addressing the media within the Assembly premises. Pathania assured that a decision would be taken in accordance with House rules.
