Union minister Harsh Malhotra takes a jibe at the Himachal Congress government for backtracking on promises made to the people during the polls and retracting facilities introduced by the previous BJP dispensation.
Talking to the media on Wednesday, the Union minister of state for road transport and highways said the free drinking water scheme for rural areas has been suspended, and residents will now receive separate monthly water bills.
He also alleged that the previous BJP government's scheme of providing free electricity up to 125 units has been revoked and power tariffs increased for both domestic and industrial consumers.
Malhotra accused the Himachal Pradesh government of neglecting its share of Rs 30 crore required for forest clearance of the north block at the Central University in Dharamshala despite the central government's contribution of Rs 250 crore for the project.
He said the Chief Minister's Office has been stalling the file.
Malhotra alleged that the Himachal Pradesh government was compromising the state's educational interests by leasing land meant for educational institutions to the friends and relatives of ruling party leaders under the guise of promoting tourism.
Praising the central government initiatives in the state, the Union minister highlighted the construction of national highways worth Rs 23,000 crore, along with Rs 2,500 crore allocated under the rural road scheme in this year's Union Budget.
Malhotra has expressed concerns over the current state of Himachal Pradesh's economy, stating that it's lost direction under the Congress government, led by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu. In contrast, Malhotra noted that the economy was gaining momentum under the previous BJP government.
Malhotra slammed Sukhu for frequently unveiling new initiatives without prioritizing genuine development.
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