Himachal seeks ₹9k cr for disaster relief, funds for border area devp
SHIMLA : The cash-strapped state government has sought liberal assistance from the 16th finance commission.
The state government gave a detailed presentation on the financial needs and various issues to the commission led by chairperson Arvind Panagariya, which is on a three-day visit to Himachal to give its recommendations for the next five years.
Chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu urged the finance commission to provide liberal finance assistance to the state for its contributions to the nation. Seeking more funds for developing the border areas, he said, “It was necessary to develop the border areas of the state to ensure national security and provide basic facilities to the people of the border areas to check their exodus.”
In the wake of the state’s vulnerability to disasters, special preference for post-disaster management and relief was sought. The CM informed the commission that the Centre has yet not released ₹9,042 crore to the state for huge losses due to heavy rains and flash floods during monsoon in the last year.
CM highlights efforts to reduce carbon footprint
The state highlighted its contribution in helping reduce carbon footprints.
“The state had been contributing immensely in maintaining the green cover of the Himalaya region, sustaining revenue losses to the tune of thousands of crores which had never been compensated. In the larger interest of the country, the state government had imposed a complete ban on the felling of trees even though it could earn revenue through it,” Sukhu, who also holds the finance portfolio, said.
The CM also demanded more shares in Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) projects, adding, “The state has provided lakhs of acres of fertile land for major projects like Bhakra dam, Pong dam and also provided water for irrigation purposes to Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan states besides power for various industries. But the state has not been getting any financial assistance, nor has the Shanan power project been handed.”
During the meeting, the state also highlighted measures adopted to strengthen the economy, including the closure of non-functional and non-viable institutions and the efforts to make Himachal a green state.
Panel lauds state’s work on education, healthcare
The commission chairperson in his opening remarks lauded the achievement of the state especially, in education and health sectors. He also highlighted the higher costs due to its difficult terrain.
Suggesting other measures to improve the economy, Panagariya said, “The issue of freebies would also be addressed by the commission as we are aware that freebies have proliferated and there is a competition among the states and the political parties to give freebies.”
Notably, the Congress-led state government had promised to give ₹1,500 per month to women in the age bracket of 18 to 59 years in its poll manifesto released on the eve of the last assembly polls held in 2022.
This is the first state consultation and the commission will visit other states before deciding the parameters on which the recommendations would be based.
Later, talking to the media persons, Sukhu said, “We have explained the condition of the state and debt liability to the members of the finance commission and apprised them that the previous Bharatiya Janata Party government took huge loans and we have to take loans to pay the debt.”
Devp of urban areas in focus
A consortium of former mayors and municipal commissioners from across the state also met the commission, seeking grants for projects like removal of legacy waste, recycling plants for plastic waste and compost plants, establishment of environment monitoring, assessment, and awareness as well as motivation and community counselling centres.