Cong’s performance dismal: Dhumal

Our Correspondent

Una, December 24

Former CM and Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly Prem Kumar Dhumal termed the last two years’ performance of the Congress government as dismal.

Addressing mediapersons here last night, he said all types of mafias were rampant and government machinery in terms of law and order or development was nowhere to be seen.

Dhumal said employees were being taken for a ride and even the benefits after putting in 4, 9 and 14 years of service were being denied to them by the government.

He said the stocks of essential items had gone missing from fair-price shops and students were without uniforms, earlier being provided during the BJP regime.

Dhumal said the state’s youth were cheated as not a single person had received the unemployment allowance promised by the Congress in its election manifesto.

He said only centrally funded schemes were in progress, while there was no state budget for any developmental activities.

The Leader of Opposition said it was a shame that the government authorities had issued advisory to tourists asking them not to visit the state, whereas they come to witness snowfall only.

The state’s tourism and allied sectors were suffering due to the unpreparedness of the government to manage heavy snow, he said, adding that power remained cut off for days together in tourist hubs such as Kullu and Manali and people remained stranded as roads were blocked at various places.

Dhumal said his recent meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi was fruitful as he had discussed various issues regarding the state’s development. He said he had invited him to inaugurate the 412-mw hydel project at Rampur and to lay the foundation stone of the Hydro Engineering College at Bilaspur, which was sanctioned in 2009 and funds to the tune of Rs 78 crore had also been provided by National Thermal Power Corporation and National Hydel Power Corporation, but the UPA and the state Congress governments had failed to lay its foundation stone so far.

Dhumal praised the PM and BJP national president Amit Shah for the party’s performances in Jharkhand and Jammu and Kashmir. State BJP president Satpal Singh Satti distributed sweets to party workers on the occasion. Former minister Parveen Sharma and Dehra MLA Ravinder Singh Ravi were also present.