House debates over corruption in Himachal Pradesh
The Himachal Pradesh Assembly on Wednesday debated the issue of corruption in the state with the ruling and Opposition members levelling allegations and counter allegations against each other.
As soon as the winter session of Himachal Pradesh Assembly started today at 11 am, the BJP MLA from Naina Devi Randhir Sharma demanded a discussion on an adjournment motion moved by him under Rule 67 of the Himachal Assembly conduct rules. Randhir had moved an adjournment motion demanding discussion of the issue of corruption in the last two years of the Congress rule.
Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu accepted the proposal. The Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania urged the BJP MLA to take up the issue after Question Hour.
Randhir, while initiating the debate, alleged that issue of purchase of private land by two individuals were close to CM at a cost of Rs 2.60 lakh. The land was later acquired by the Himachal Pradesh Road Transport Corporation (HPRTC) at a cost of Rs 6.72 crore.
The CM, replying to the allegation, said that the issue was being raised due to infighting in the BJP.
He added that people who purchased land were close to a BJP MP.
The CM said that the two individuals had purchased the land in question for Rs 2.6 lakh in the year 2015. Though the individuals had purchased the land for Rs 2.6 lakh, at that time they had paid a stamp duty of Rs 4.75 lakh. The land size of 80 biggas. When the HRTC acquired the land, the circle rates of land in the area had increased as the road on which it was located was converted into four lane NHAI road.
Randhir also alleged large scale corruption in allotment of liquor vends in the state. He said that the present government had clubbed vends in various districts to benefit a few persons that has led to loss the state exchequer.
Randhir that government has resorted to policy of Minimum Sale Price from Maximum Sale Price on liquor bottles in the state that was led to corruption.
Congress MLA Sanjay Awasthi, while replying to the allegation, said that due to new excise policy adopted by the present government, the revenue has gone up to Rs 600 crores per annum. During the stint of the BJP in power, the revenue from liquor remained at about Rs 150 crores per annum, he said.
Randhir also alleged that loan of a former Congress MLA was waived off by Kangra Central Cooperative Bank leading corruption. He alleged that the leader owed Rs 5.97 crores. During the stint of present Congress government, his loan was settled at about Rs 2.62 crore. The bank waived off Rs 3.35 crore loan for the Congress leader, he said.
Sanjay Awasthi, while replying to the allegation, said that the loan of the Congress leader was settled as per the RBI policy by the bank and there was no corruption in it.
The issue of payment made to hydroelectric project that led to court attaching Himachal Bhavan also came up during the debate with both the BJP and Congress MLAs levelling allegations against each other for mismanaging the case.
The other issues that came for discussion during debate over corruption, including illegal felling of trees and export from state, misappropriation of funds in JICA and IDB projects, High order on Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation properties and corruption in PWD and Panchayati Raj works in Banjar assembly constituency.
