Shimla: Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur on Thursday accused the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh of misleading the public on the state’s financial position and unfairly blaming the Centre despite receiving substantial assistance.
Addressing a press conference, Thakur said that since coming to power, the state government has continued to receive strong financial support from the Centre but has repeatedly targeted the Central Government and the Prime Minister to divert attention from its own shortcomings. He remarked that the issue is not merely the discontinuation of the Revenue Deficit Grant (RDG), but the government’s continued claims of financial distress even when RDG was being provided.
Referring to the recommendations of the 16th Finance Commission, he said that if RDG has been discontinued, it is the responsibility of the present government to manage finances effectively. “Blaming the Centre or previous governments cannot resolve financial challenges. If the government is unable to handle the situation, it should admit it honestly,” he said.
Assembly Row Over RDG
Thakur also spoke about recent Assembly proceedings, stating that discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the Governor’s Address is a constitutional convention. However, he alleged that the government was determined to introduce a political resolution on RDG. He claimed that when the opposition pointed out factual discrepancies in the Chief Minister’s reply, it was denied an opportunity to clarify, forcing BJP MLAs to protest in the well of the House.
He maintained that the BJP stands firmly for the interests of Himachal Pradesh and that economic challenges cannot be addressed through political rhetoric alone, but through fiscal discipline and sound policy decisions.
Centre’s Financial Support
Citing Finance Commission data, Thakur claimed that during the UPA regime, Himachal received around ₹18,000 crore under the 12th and 13th Finance Commissions. In contrast, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the state received approximately ₹89,254 crore under the 14th and 15th Finance Commissions — more than five times higher.
He said this comparison shows when “real injustice” to Himachal occurred.
Questions on Loan Figures
Thakur also raised questions over alleged inconsistencies in the Chief Minister’s statements regarding state borrowings. He pointed out that varying figures were presented in the Assembly on different dates about loans taken and repaid. He questioned how the public can trust conflicting data, especially when large repayment claims are not clearly reflected in the budget provisions for FY 2025–26.
He clarified that borrowing is not unusual for any government, but misrepresentation of facts is serious. Comparing tenures, he said that during the BJP government’s term, most of the borrowed amount was serviced responsibly, and even borrowing capacity remained unutilised in the final financial year.
Thakur concluded that while the BJP is ready to cooperate in the state’s interest, it will continue to counter what he described as a distorted financial narrative with facts and data.
