Shimla, October 9
HPCC president Pratibha Singh today demanded a white paper on the financial implications of all announcements and decisions taken by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur.
In a statement issued here, she accused the Chief Minister of pushing the state on the brink of bankruptcy by making announcements without budgetary provisions to mislead the electorate.
“It is ironical that while on the one hand, the government is taking loans every second day to meet its daily expenses, and on the other, the Chief Minister is making announcements without any budgetary provisions,” she said.
The debt had touched Rs 70,000 crore while the CM was busy in election rallies, making announcements to woo voters. “He is blatantly misusing the government machinery and money, which is unfortunate,” she said. The Chief Minister was taking major decisions at Cabinet meetings, which were adding to financial mismanagement, she added
The state Congress chief said despite tall claims of the BJP of double engine governments benefiting the state, Himachal had not been given even a single rupee relief from the Centre.
“The government should tell the people from where the money will come for the announcements and how much budget is required fulfil these ,” she said.
Pratibha said the CM was trying to mislead the people as the BJP government had neither protected the interests of employees, nor made any concrete policy for farmers and orchardists. People were troubled by the rising inflation and unemployment but the BJP never talked on these issues, she added. Cases like paper leak had exposed the growing corruption.
She said the countdown for the BJP government in the state had begun as people had made up their mind to vote the Congress to power. “After coming to power, the party will remove the discrepancies in the salary and will restore the old pension scheme within 10 days,” she said.
No budgetary provisions
It is ironical that while on the one hand, the government is taking loans every second day to meet its daily expenses, and on the other, the Chief Minister is making announcements without any budgetary provisions. — Pratibha Singh, HPCC chief
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