BJP leaders blocked relief funds from Centre: Dy CM

Tribune News Service

Mandi, January 20

Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri today said that BJP leaders did not help the state get relief funds from the Central Government and they instead hindered the grant of financial aid. He presided over the ‘Sarkar Gaon Ke Dwar’ programme at Ghod village of Sardhvar panchayat in the Balh Assembly constituency of Mandi district. He resolved several issues on the spot.

Agnihotri, while addressing a public gathering, said that the state had suffered huge losses during the monsoon last year but the Central Government did not provide any financial assistance to cope with the situation. Instead of helping, BJP leaders hindered the grant of Central aid to Himachal.

He said, “A resolution was brought in the Assembly requesting the Central Government for disaster relief funds but the BJP leaders opposed it. They also blocked a Rs 3,000-crore proposal of the Jal Shakti Department. They are opposing the imposition of water cess on hydropower generation. When water cess was imposed in Uttarakhand and J&K, the BJP did not oppose it.”

Agnihotri said, “The state government has announced a special disaster relief package of Rs 4,500 crore from its own resources. So far, Rs 63 crore relief has been provided to disaster-affected people in Mandi.”

He claimed, “The BJP has become impatient after losing power in Himachal. The previous BJP government had left behind debt and liabilities to the tune of Rs 92,000 crore. The BJP did nothing to generate resources during its rule. The BJP government had refused to implement the old pension scheme for its employees but we restored it in the first Cabinet meeting.”

He said that 50 years of the HRTC would be celebrated in a grand way. “HRTC employees are now being paid salaries on the first day of every month. The employees should not get misled under any circumstances. As many as 327 new buses will be purchased for the HRTC this year. Last year, 250 buses were added to its fleet. Efforts are being made to provide sufficient bus service to all religious places in the state.”

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