Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president and Union Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda met Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu in New Delhi on Thursday. The BJP president said Nadda said they held a productive dialogue on the overall development of the hill state.
Nadda said the Union Government is fully committed to improving and strengthening healthcare services in Himachal Pradesh. He stressed that the Centre will continue to support efforts to upgrade the health sector in the state.
In a post on X, Nadda said, “Met Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister @SukhuSukhvinder ji in New Delhi today. The Central Government remains fully committed to strengthening healthcare services, developing modern health infrastructure, expanding the reach of the Ayushman Bharat scheme in State. Had a productive discussion regarding overall development in the State of Himachal Pradesh.”
Earlier the same day, Chief Minister Sukhu also met Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in New Delhi. The meeting focused on the financial issues and requirements of Himachal Pradesh.
During the meeting, Sukhu sought the Centre’s support to improve the financial condition of the state. He highlighted the challenges being faced by Himachal Pradesh due to limited financial resources.
The Chief Minister informed the Union Finance Minister about the memorandum and additional memorandum submitted to the 16th Finance Commission. He requested that the Revenue Deficit Grant for the state be fixed at a minimum of Rs 10,000 crore annually.
He also stressed the need for a realistic assessment of states’ revenue deficits and expenditure requirements for the award period of the 16th Finance Commission. Sukhu said such an assessment is important to ensure fair financial support to hill states.
The Chief Minister strongly demanded the creation of a separate ‘Green Fund’ with an annual allocation of Rs 50,000 crore for hill states. He described hill states as the “Green Frontiers and Lungs of North India” and said they provide crucial ecological services to the country.
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