Created 28K jobs in 18-month rule: Himachal CM Sukhvinder Sukhu

Shimla, July 22

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today said that his government wanted to work for the development of the state with the cooperation of the public and the Opposition. “Despite severe challenges and a difficult financial situation in the past 18 months, our government created 28,000 jobs while the previous BJP government during its five-year term had provided only 20,000 jobs,” he claimed.

Sukhu, while talking to mediapersons here, said that many of these appointments were challenged in the Supreme Court as well as the High Court of Himachal Pradesh. “Our government got these cases settled and soon the successful candidates would be given appointment letters,” he added.

Sukhu said that the financial health of the state had improved by 20 per cent during the Congress rule but still the situation was worrisome. “The BJP government had raised loans in the name of development but wasted these on programmes like Jan Manch and now we are forced to raise loans to repay previous debts,” he added.

He said that his government was working tirelessly to improve the financial health of the state by cutting down on wasteful expenditure. “We may have to take some harsh decisions like cutting wasteful expenditure in the larger interest of the state,” he added.

The Chief Minister said that that the people of Himachal had given a befitting reply to the BJP’s attempts to destabilise the democratically-elected government in Himachal by ensuing the Congress’ victory in six of the nine Assembly byelections.

Sukhu said that the people of Himachal had rejected the BJP in the byelections. “People had given the Congress 40 seats in the 2022 Vidhan Sabha elections and now we are again back at the same number. People saw through the political conspiracy of the BJP and voted for the Congress,” he claimed.

He sought constructive cooperation of the BJP to ensure accelerated and uniform development in the state. “We lost almost four precious months due to the imposition of the model code of conduct for the bylections, resulting in development works getting delayed. We also lost four months last year due to destruction caused by unprecedented heavy rains,” he said.

Sukhu said that his government was working tirelessly towards making Himachal self-reliant by 2027. “The BJP should shun negative politics and support Himachal’s plea for a special financial package and help it get its legitimate right,” he added.