Government diverting central funds to benefit private firm: BJP

The BJP has accused the Congress government of allegedly diverting Central funds from the Prime Minister Gati Shakti scheme to build a boundary wall costing Rs 8.75 crore for a private company in Solan district.

In a statement issued here, BJP’s state vice-president Rajeev Saizal accused Congress leaders of remaining silent on issues of financial mismanagement and corruption. He asked the government to clarify whether central funds had been diverted.

He alleged that funds from the PM Gati Shakti scheme, designed to enhance seamless connectivity and infrastructure, were used to construct a 2-km boundary wall around the plot of Indo Farm Equipment Ltd along the Ratta river in the Baddi industrial area.

A sum of Rs 14 crore was sanctioned for the project, with Rs 8.75 crore allocated for the construction of the wall along the riverbank. The first installment of Rs 3 crore had already been disbursed, Saizal claimed.

He said, “Funds under the PM Gati Shakti scheme are meant for public infrastructure development. Using them to benefit a private firm is a misuse. At the same time, the Baddi Barotiwala Nalagarh Development Authority was given a mere Rs 2 lakh for broader development needs.”

He added, “Land was allotted to the firm in January 2022, with a customised package for setting up an automobile park in Baddi, promising to generate 300 jobs. Nearly three years later, the land allegedly remained unused and no industrial activity had been initiated there.”

The company was required to begin production and invest Rs 150 crore of the proposed Rs 500 crore within 24 to 30 months. However, these conditions remain unmet, yet the government had not taken action to reclaim the land, Saizal said.