Centre must fully fund rail, airport projects: Himachal Deputy CM Agnihotri

Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri on Wednesday said the Central government projects such as railway expansion and airport development should be funded entirely by the Centre, asserting that states should not be asked to share the financial burden of such large infrastructure works.

Responding to Bharatiya Janata Party allegations that the state government was not cooperating with the Union government in partially funding ongoing railway projects in Himachal, Deputy Chief Minister Agnihotri said the charge was misplaced and ignored the financial limitations of small hill states.

The Deputy Chief Minister pointed out that the state government was already funding the expansion of the Gaggal airport in Kangra district, even though the project should have been fully financed by the Centre. “Himachal Pradesh does not have the resources to construct big infrastructure projects. Despite this, the state is being forced to borrow money for the expansion of Gaggal airport,” the Deputy Chief Minister said.

Agnihotri further said the Centre was pressing the state to contribute funds for the extension of the Bhanupali-Barmana-Bilaspur rail line, which he described as unjustified. He maintained that the proposed extension of the broad-gauge railway line up to Leh was of immense strategic importance to the country.

“Projects of national and strategic significance, particularly those linked to border security, must be funded by the Union government in the larger interest of national security,” the Deputy Chief Minister said, adding that the Centre should support and assist hill states rather than burden them with costs they cannot sustain.