Dharamsala MLA praises CM Sukhvinder Sukhu for 'green state' initiative

Pratibha Chauhan

Shimla, March 21

Dharamsala MLA Sudhir Sharma today praised Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu for taking the bold step of making Himachal a green state. “Himachal will emerge as a model state and other states will emulate our efforts to switch over to electric vehicles to protect the environment,” he said.

He said that the decision to encourage tapping of solar energy would not only help in generating resources but would also help the youth to set up plants and generate employment for others.

Meanwhile, the Congress and the BJP locked horns over the issue of the financial health of the state and the closure of institutions opened by the previous government, during the debate on the Budget proposals in the Vidhan Sabha.

Mandi Sadar MLA Anil Sharma said that the Congress government had promised to provide 300 units of free power to woo voters. “It is unfortunate that political parties are making poll promises which are not in the interest of the state. The grant of 300 units of free power will put a burden of Rs 1,600 crore on the exchequer,” he added.

Naina Devi MLA Randhir Sharma criticised the government for crying hoarse about the poor financial health of the state and denotifying institutions. “The Chief Minister wants to show that he is very different from others but on the contrary, he has ended up closing down institutions. He has not been able to even form his entire Cabinet nor elected the Deputy Speaker,” he said.

Sharma said that he failed to understand what the Congress government was celebrating as it had wound up the HP Staff Selection Commission, Hamirpur, and had not undertaken the winter sojourn in Kangra.

Chief Parliamentary Secretary (CPS) Sunder Thakur said that the Chief Minister had presented a visionary Budget, which would bring about transparency and help in fixing accountability for the time-bound completion of projects. “Notwithstanding the financial health of the state, the Chief Minister remains committed to honouring the 10 guarantees,” he added.

He said that inflation, rising unemployment and hike in the prices of petrol and diesel had hit the economy, including that of Himachal.

Nachan MLA Vinod Kumar criticised the government for raising Rs 450 crore as loan within three months of taking reins. He said that the government always cried hoarse about the huge debt burden but at the same time it had made political appointments, which would a drain on the exchequer. Hans Raj (Churah), Ashish Butail (Palampur), Ram Kumar Chaudhary (Doon) and Neeraj Nayar (Chamba) also participated in the debate.