Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Thursday said had the BJP been in power, it would have compromised the interests of the people of the state in the Kishau dam project. He alleged that the previous BJP government would have accepted the earlier agreement, resulting in a huge financial loss to the state.
Sukhu said the present Congress government had rejected the old agreement in 2023 and strongly defended Himachal's interests. He termed it a major victory that would strengthen the state's economy. According to the revised agreement, Himachal is expected to generate an additional annual revenue of Rs 600 crore.
He said the Congress government was fulfilling its promise of Vyavastha Parivartan by turning public expectations into reality. He said various welfare schemes had been implemented for orphaned children, widows, single women, meritorious students and other vulnerable sections of society.
Referring to the devastation caused by natural disasters, Sukhu said the government had increased compensation for fully damaged houses from Rs 1.30 lakh to Rs 8 lakh using its own resources. He claimed it was the highest disaster relief compensation being provided by any state in the country. Despite an annual reduction of Rs 10,000 crore in the Revenue Deficit Grant (RDG), the government continued to work towards making Himachal self-reliant, he added.
The Chief Minister alleged that the Centre was neglecting Himachal's interests, affecting the people of the state. He said Himachal was still awaiting the Rs 1,500 crore disaster relief package announced by the Prime Minister during his visit to Kangra. He also alleged that the state's four BJP MPs had failed to jointly approach the Prime Minister to seek financial assistance.
Sukhu said he had personally donated Rs 51 lakh to support families affected by natural disasters. He also contributed Rs 35 lakh to the state during the Covid-19 pandemic when Jai Ram Thakur was the Chief Minister.
Responding to a question, Sukhu alleged that the BJP uses the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for political purposes ahead of elections. He further claimed that the BJP was divided into several rival factions competing for power and that people had lost faith in the party.
The Chief Minister said the Congress government had been functioning with transparency and accountability and claimed that no allegations had been levelled against his Cabinet during the past three-and-a-half years.
Industry Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan, Principal Adviser (Media) to the Chief Minister Naresh Chauhan, Kailash Federation Chairman Baldev Thakur, and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.
Also read: VB-G RAM G scheme not in state's interest: Sukhu
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