Himachal Pradesh Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accused the Congress-led state government of allegedly diverting Central funds from the PM Gati Shakti scheme to build a boundary wall costing ₹8.75 crore for a private company in Solan district.
BJP state vice president and former minister Rajiv Saizal accused Congress leaders of remaining silent on issues of financial mismanagement and corruption and demanded that the Congress government clarify whether the Central funds were diverted.
He alleged that funds from the Prime Minister Gati Shakti scheme, designed to enhance seamless connectivity and infrastructure, were used to construct a two-kilometer boundary wall around the Indo Farm Equipment Ltd plot along the Ratta River in the Baddi industrial area.
The Industries Department executes projects under the scheme through the Himachal Pradesh State Industrial Development Corporation (HPSIDC).
A sum of ₹14 crore was sanctioned for the project, with ₹8.75 crore allocated for the construction of the wall along the riverbank. The first installment of ₹3 crore has already been disbursed, Saizal claimed.
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"Funds under PM Gati Shakti are meant for public infrastructure development. Using them to benefit a single private firm is a misuse. Meanwhile, the Baddi Barotiwala Nalagarh Development Authority was given a mere ₹2 lakh for broader development needs," he said.
Land was allotted to the said company in January 2022, with a customised package for establishing an auto park in Baddi, promising to generate 300 jobs. Nearly three years later, the land allegedly remains unused and no industrial activity has been initiated, the BJP leader added.
As per the allotment terms, the company was required to begin production within 24-30 months and invest ₹150 crore of the proposed ₹500 crore within the same period. However, these conditions remain unmet, yet the government has not taken action to reclaim the land, Saizal said.
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