Centre delaying fund allocation deliberately: Cong

Tribune News Service

Haridwar, August 30

The Congress has accused the Centre of deliberately delaying the allocation of budget for the Ardh Kumbh fair beginning in January.

Senior party leader and former legislator Ambrish Kumar alleged the Ardh Kumbh fair draw lakhs of pilgrims from across the world. However, in the absence of the budget, fair-related projects were being affected.

He alleged the BJP was playing politics on the issue. “The Congress is committed to providing best facilities to the devotees. Chief Minister Harish Rawat has sanctioned Rs 250 crore from the state’s resources for the fair. On the other hand, the BJP is hell bent on hampering the Ardh Kumbh preparations, so that it could take take up the issue in the 2017 state Assembly elections,” he said.

Meanwhile, city Congress president OP Chauhan accused the BJP of failing to fulfill promises made during the Lok Sabha elections. He alleged the Union Government had failed to bring back black money stashed abroad. It had also failed to check the rising prices of the essential commodities. He alleged Haridwar MP Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank had failed to raise the issue effectively.Former MC chairperson Satpal Brahamchari said during the Maha Kumbh in 2010, Nishank was the Chief Minister. The state was granted Rs 755 crore by the Congress-led UPA government.

“This is for the first time that the state government had to allocate budget from its resources,” said Chauhan.