Shimla, February 10, 2026
Former Speaker of the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly and former Education Minister, Dr Radha Raman Shastri, has expressed serious concern over the current financial condition of Himachal Pradesh.
Dr Shastri said that the financial problems of the state are a matter of concern and are not new. He stated that most hill states in the country face financial difficulties because of limited resources and high expenditure.
He urged the Central Government to continue providing Revenue Deficit Grants to Himachal Pradesh so that the state can meet its yearly financial needs. He warned that stopping these grants, as recommended by the 16th Finance Commission, would worsen the financial situation of the state and make governance difficult.
Dr Shastri said that Himachal Pradesh cannot run only on its own resources and needs continuous financial support from the Centre. He appealed to the Central Government to take a fair and practical decision for Himachal Pradesh and other hill states.
He also said that Himachal Pradesh is a peaceful state, and creating financial hardship here is a serious matter of concern. He expressed hope that the Central Government would soon find a permanent solution so that the state continues to receive central assistance to cover its revenue deficit every year.
