Yog Raj Sharma
The North News
Shimla, March 19
Allegations and counter allegations marked the ongoing budget session of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly between the ruling government and the opposition both inside and outside the House. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) targeted the state government over allegations of “mafia raj” during the second day of the second phase of the session. Responding to the allegations, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu hit back, accusing the opposition of making baseless claims without evidence.
“The opposition is levelling allegations without facts. If BJP leaders have any proof, they should present it on the floor of the House,” Sukhu said. The Chief Minister also expressed concern over the shortage of commercial LPG in the state, stating that the issue would be taken up with the Centre. He noted that the shortage has adversely impacted the tourism sector in Himachal Pradesh.
Speaking on the supplementary budget presented in the Assembly, Sukhu said the government is focusing on systemic reforms and has allocated funds to several major projects. He added that new projects are being initiated with at least 30 per cent funding and assured that there will be no shortage of budget for key sectors like education and healthcare. He also pointed out that the discontinuation of RDG (Revenue Deficit Grant) has caused financial losses to the state.
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister welcomed the resumption of trade with Tibet through the Shipki-La route. He said the state government had made persistent efforts to restart this trade, which has already yielded positive results. “Nearly 50,000 tourists have visited Kinnaur following the development, benefiting the tourism sector,” Sukhu said, highlighting the economic boost to the region.
