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Journalism of Courage
The Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led Congress government in Himachal Pradesh has found itself in a spot in the wake of its decision asking the state’s temple trusts to make contributions for its two welfare schemes – the Sukh Ashraya Yojana and the Sukh Shiksha Yojana – meant for orphans and other vulnerable children.
While the Sukhu government claims this is an appeal for voluntary contributions for such welfare initiatives, the Opposition BJP has accused it of trying to “drain temple funds” to manage its financial crisis.
The Sukh Ashraya and the Sukh Shiksha schemes were announced by CM Sukhu in December 2022, soon after he assumed his office, which were notified on February 28, 2023, and September 3, 2024, respectively. The schemes focus on providing shelter, education, and welfare support for vulnerable children in Himachal Pradesh.
Under the schemes, at least 6,000 children lodged at shelters and orphanages across the state were given the status of “children of the state”, according to the government. Both of these schemes are under the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment.
Although the state’s 2024-25 Budget has allocated Rs 272.27 crore for these schemes, the government has approached temple trusts, urging them to contribute for them.
On January 29, Rakesh Kanwar, Secretary of the Social Justice and Empowerment Department, sent a letter to all Deputy Commissioners, who also oversee the temple trusts under their jurisdictions.
“The various temple trusts functioning under the Himachal Pradesh Hindu Public Religious Institutions Charitable Empowerment Act, 1984 keep making contributions for charitable activities and welfare schemes run by the state government. While making such charitable contributions, the temple trusts may make contributions towards the Sukh Ashray Yojana and Sukh Sikhsha Yojana with a view to provide funds for the above mentioned welfare schemes,” the Secretary’s letter stated.
The BJP has used Kanwar’s letter to attack the Sukhu government, framing the government’s request to temple trusts as a “thinly-veiled attempt to plug its budgetary gaps”.
Former BJP CM Jairam Thakur, the current Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Assembly, said, “For two years, the government has been talking about these schemes and promoting them as the CM’s flagship initiatives. From roads to squares, hills to riverbanks – every corner of the state is plastered with advertisements for these schemes. Crores have been spent on publicity, but nothing substantial has been done for the beneficiaries. If funds were allocated in the Budget, why is the government now resorting to forcibly collecting money from temples? This clearly shows that the promises made during the Budget Session were as hollow as the rest of the government’s claims. The Sukhu government is not only deceiving the common people but also orphaned children.”
Thakur highlighted the gap between the government’s announcement and execution. “Only Rs 1.38 crore has been spent so far under the Sukh Shiksha scheme, even though the CM launched it with much fanfare to mark his government’s two-year anniversary. The Sukh Ashraya scheme has also seen minimal spending, despite being heavily publicised,” he charged.
State BJP spokesperson Karan Nanda claimed that the funds received from the temple trusts will be used for the salaries and pensions of the serving and retired government employees. “Temples under government control are being pressured to contribute to these schemes,” he alleged.
Pushing back against the BJP’s claims, Secretary Rakesh Kanwar, who is also the secretary to the CM, dismissed the allegations. “The government has simply advised temple trusts to support orphaned children through the Sukh Ashraya and Sukh Shiksha schemes. These are charitable initiatives open to all donors. Temple trusts in Himachal already engage in charity, such as funding marriages for poor women, aiding the disabled, and providing employment to widows. Supporting orphans aligns with these efforts,” Kanwar told The Indian Express. He also refuted the charge that the financial assistance from the temple trusts would be diverted to cover government expenses.
On his part, CM Sukhu has avoided responding to the BJP’s allegations, just saying that “If we have budgetary provisions for our government’s schemes, then there is no need to ask others to give money.”
On Himachal’s financial woes, Anirudh Singh, the Panchayati Raj and Rural Development Minister, said, “The revenue deficit grants (RDGs) provided by the Central government to Himachal was Rs 10,300 crore in 2021-22, but it is projected to decrease to Rs 3,257 crore by 2025-26. Since 2017, Himachal used to receive Rs 3,000 crore annually as GST compensation from the Central government, which was stopped in July 2022.”
The Minister also accused the previous BJP-led state government of failing to pay arrears to the employees and pensioners despite receiving over Rs 10,000 crore in RDGs and more than Rs 3,000 crore in GST compensation. Singh claimed the BJP government had “distributed freebies worth over Rs 5,000 crore for electoral gains, worsening the state’s financial health”.
Himachal Pradesh has 35 major temples under government control, managed by the Himachal Pradesh Hindu Public Religious and Charitable Endowments Institution. The trusts of these temples hold deposits collectively estimated at around Rs 400 crore. The prominent temples include the Jakhu, Jwalaji, Chamunda, Chintpurni, Naina Devi, Bajreshwari, Baijnath, and Lakshmi Narayan temples.
Sources said the meetings of the temple trusts – including the Taradevi and Jakhu temples in Shimla – have already taken place, with proposals discussed for allocating funds to the two schemes. Similar meetings have been held by the sub-divisional magistrates for Durga Mata Temple Trust in Hatkoti and Bhima Kali Temple Trust in Sarahan.
