BJP neglected Shivalik region: Manch head

Congress leader Vijay Bansal has accused the BJP government of neglecting the Shivalik region, comprising districts of Panchkula, Yamunanagar and Ambala, during its 11-year tenure. He alleged that despite the Chief Minister being the chairman of the Shivalik Development Board, no meeting was convened since April 23, 2015, as revealed in the information received under the RTI Act.

Bansal, who is also president of Shivalik Vikas Manch and former secretary of the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee, recalled that the board was established in 1993 under the Congress government led by Choudhary Bhajan Lal to promote infrastructure projects in irrigation, watershed management, check dams, education, health, roads, tourism, agriculture, floriculture, herbal plantations, animal husbandry and wildlife conservation. He claimed that the BJP government slashed the board’s budget to a nominal amount, halting development in the hill and foothill areas.

He flayed CM Nayab Singh Saini and his predecessor Manohar Lal Khattar for failing to convene meetings or release adequate funds. Projects such as drinking water schemes, irrigation facilities, road construction and essential infrastructure in Morni were incomplete, said Bansal.