‘Government should prioritise education and development amid financial constraints,’ says BJP MLA
Shimla: BJP MLA Sudhir Sharma has questioned the Himachal Pradesh government over the proposed expenditure on the new office of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, saying the government should reconsider its priorities amid the state’s financial constraints.
Taking a dig at the construction of the new Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) at the state secretariat, Sharma said around ₹50 crore was being spent on the facility. He questioned whether such expenditure was justified when the state was facing financial difficulties.
“Congratulations to the people of Himachal Pradesh—the chief minister is getting a new office at the secretariat. Around ₹50 crore is being spent on it. No chief minister in the state’s history has needed a ₹50-crore office,” Sharma said.
He alleged that while the government frequently speaks about financial constraints, crores of rupees are being spent on the new office.
Sharma also raised the issue of the North Campus of Himachal Pradesh Central University, saying the government was unable to provide ₹20 crore for the university campus while allocating a much larger amount for the Chief Minister’s Office.
He questioned why funds were reportedly unavailable for educational and development institutions while substantial expenditure was being incurred on the new CMO.
The BJP MLA also raised questions over the furniture being installed in the new office. He claimed that some sofas were reportedly priced at ₹6 lakh to ₹7 lakh each and that bills had been prepared for them.
Sharma further questioned the government over the state’s financial position and urged it to ensure that its spending priorities did not place additional pressure on the state’s finances.
“The situation should not become such that the state is left with nothing. The government should not create circumstances where ‘Himachal Pradesh ceases to remain a state and becomes a Union Territory’,” Sharma said.
The allegations and expenditure figures cited by Sharma were part of his criticism of the state government’s spending priorities.
