BJP govt had drained state’s finances, was forced to take loans to repay loans: Sukhu on three years of Congress government

He was speaking at the Jan Sankalp rally in Mandi to mark the completion of three years of his government.

Sukhu said the three of his government had been dedicated to public welfare, transparency and vyavastha parivartan, aimed at strengthening the state’s economy, empowering youth, supporting vulnerable sections and building a prosperous, green and self-reliant Himachal Pradesh.

He said that during this period, various historic and transformative decisions were taken. Out of the 10 guarantees given during the elections, seven had been fulfilled, providing major relief to different sections of society. The government fulfilled its promise of restoring the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) for 1.36 lakh employees in its very first Cabinet meeting. “However, it was unfortunate that after this decision, the Centre restricted the state’s borrowing limit to Rs 1,600 crore, causing a loss of Rs 4,800 crore to Himachal over three years,” he said.

The CM said that the Rs 680-crore Rajiv Gandhi Start-up Scheme had been launched for the youth, and another guarantee had been fulfilled by introducing English medium from Class 1 in all government schools. To strengthen the rural economy, Minimum Support Price (MSP) of Rs. 51 per litre on cow milk and Rs. 61 per litre on buffalo milk was being provided, making Himachal the first state in the country to offer the highest support price on milk. To enhance farmers’ income, the government had also started purchasing cow dung at Rs. 300 per quintal. Apart from this, the government introduced Universal Cartons for horticultural produce, and Himachal became the first state to frame a comprehensive horticulture policy.

He said that Himachal suffered losses of around Rs 12,000 crore during the 2023 monsoon disaster, yet the Centre had not provided sufficient special relief so far. The state government provided a relief package of Rs 4,500 crore from its own resources and manifold increased the compensation. “This year too, the state suffered a similar loss of nearly Rs 12,000 crore, but again received no support from the Centre,” he said and asked BJP leaders to present a public document supporting their claim that the Centre had provided Rs 5,000 crore in aid.

The Chief Minister said that under the Mukhyamantri Sukh-Ashraya Yojna, 6,000 children had been adopted as “Children of the State”, while under the Indira Gandhi Sukh Shiksha Yojna, free education was being provided to children of widowed, destitute and disabled parents.

He said that due to the consistent efforts of the present government, Himachal Pradesh’s national ranking in education improved to 5th place, which had slipped to 21st rank during the BJP regime. The government had decided to introduce CBSE curriculum in 100 selected government schools in the first phase, and work on 20 Rajiv Gandhi Day Boarding Schools across different constituencies had already begun, he added.

Highlighting achievements in the health sector, the Chief Minister said that for the first time in the state, robotic surgery had been introduced at AIIMS Chamyana and Tanda Medical College. The government., he said, was spending Rs 3,000 crore on modernising health institutions and improving medical education.

He said that over 4,63,000 long-pending cases had been resolved through Special Revenue Lok Adalats. To strengthen the rural economy, the government was purchasing wheat, maize and raw turmeric grown through natural farming at Rs 60, Rs 40 and Rs 90 per kg respectively.

He said the state was progressing rapidly towards becoming a Green Energy State. Six green corridors had been established, and the Rs 100-crore Rajiv Gandhi Van Samvardhan Yojna was under implementation. The government aims to meet nearly 90 per cent of future energy demand in industry, transport and e-mobility through renewable sources.

He said those who sell chitta and destroy the future of children have no place in the Devbhoomi. “The government wanted to build a Himachal where chitta exists only in history books, “as a finished and forgotten evil.”

Congress in-charge for Himachal Pradesh Rajni Patil praised the government for its drive against drugs and becoming self-reliant and asserted that Congress would definitely return to power in 2027.

Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh and his mother former state Congress chief Pratibha Singh were not present at the rally.