Modi govt restored state's special status: Nadda

Lalit Mohan

Nagrota Bagwan, April 22

The Congress has never worked for the interests of Himachal, said BJP national president JP Nadda while addressing a political rally at Nagrota Bagwan in Kangra district today.

Social security pension for 60 plus: CM

Himachal has become the first state in the country to have achieved 100 per cent vaccination in both first and second stages. My government has provided social security pension to all citizens above the age of 60. Now, we have decided to give 125 units of free power to the people. The BJP will again form government in the state.Rs. — Jai Ram Thakur, Chief Minister

He said that in 1987, when Rajiv Gandhi was the Prime Minister, the special category status of Himachal was taken away. Till 1987, Himachal used to get Central grants in 90:10 ratio. However, after the special category status was withdrawn, the share of the Himachal Government in all projects increased to 40 per cent and the Central Government’s share reduced from 90 per cent to 60 per cent.

Nadda said, “When Manmohan Singh was the Prime Minister, the Central Government’s share of funds for projects in Himachal was further reduced to 50 per cent. It was after Narendra Modi became Prime Minister in 2014 that the special category status was restored to Himachal. Now, Himachal gets 90 per cent grants from the Central Government for all projects”.

He said that the NDA government headed by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee gave an industrial package to Himachal in 2003. However, the Manmohan Singh government withdrew it subsequently. The Kol Dam was proposed to be built in Himachal in 1960 but its work was started when the BJP came to power at the Centre.

Nadda rejected the claims that AAP would pose a challenge to the BJP in the forthcoming Assembly elections. He said that the BJP had formed governments for the second time consecutively in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Manipur and Goa due to their performances while AAP candidates lost their deposits in 68 out of 70 seats in Uttarakhand and 337 seats in Uttar Pradesh. He added that the voting pattern had changed in the country and people were now voting for the works done by the BJP governments.

He said that a record 187 crore doses of Covid injections had been administered in the country. The Prime Minister was heading a pro-active government was illustrated during the Covid vaccination campaign and evacuation of Indian students from war-torn Ukraine.

The Chief Minister said Himachal had started its own schemes such as the Him Care Yojana and the Grahni Suvidha Yojana that had supplemented the Central Government’s Ujjwala Yojana and Ayushman Bharat scheme

Earlier, Nadda led a roadshow organised by BJP workers from Gaggal to the Gandhi ground. In Nagrota Bagwan market, he struck a cord with local shopkeepers by waiving to them and reminding them of his old association with them.

State BJP president Suresh Kashyap, Forest Minister Rakesh Pathania, Social Justice Minister Sarween Chaudhary and local MLA Arun Kumar were present.