Union minister flays Congress for not fulfilling its guarantees in Himachal Pradesh

The Union minister of State for Road Transport and Highways Harsh Malhotra while addressing a press conference at Dharamsala on Wednesday flayed the Congress government for allegedly duping voters by making false promises during assembly elections. He also took up the issue of north campus of Central University Himachal Pradesh (CUHP) and criticised CM Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu for not releasing Rs 30 crore for diversion of forest land in Jadrangal area of Dharamsala in the name of the university.

Harsh said that the Union government has released Rs 250 crore for bringing up the north campus of CUHP in Jadrangal but money was not being spent as the file for releasing Rs 30 crore for transfer of forest land in the name of the university was lying in the chief minister’s office for the past more than a year. It was unfortunate that the campus of such a prestigious institution was not coming up in Dharamsala just because the state government was not releasing money for it, he said.

The Union minister added that the Congress came to power in Himachal Pradesh promising 300 units of free power and many other such guarantees. However, after coming to power, it has taken away 125 units of free power given to the people of state by the previous BJP government.

The BJP had waived off water bills of people residing in rural areas but the Congress has imposed and increased the water bills in the state. The financial condition of Himachal Pradesh was deteriorating now and the state was not being able to pay salaries and pensions of its own employees on time, he said.

He said that the Union government led by PM Narendra Modi has been providing grants for Himachal Pradesh, like Rs 23,000 crore for four-lane highways including Kiratpur-Manali highway, Matour-Shimla highway and Pathankot-Mandi highway. Besides, Rs 2,500 crore was being given under Prime Minister Gram Sarak Yojna. Himachal Pradesh has also been given liberal grants under the PM Awas Yojna, he added.

The Union minister said that he was at Dharamsala to end the 15 days’ campaign launched by the BJP for sensitising people about sanitation. The campaign started on September 17, the birthday of PM Narendra Modi, and ended on October 2, Gandhi Jayanti. The PM has also urged the people of country to plant one tree in the name of their mother and take care of it till the tree matures, Harsh added.