The Hindu : New Delhi News : Himachal CM alleges discrimination by Centre

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Tuesday, Apr 01, 2008
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Himachal CM alleges discrimination by Centre

Special Correspondent

Demands financial package for the cash-starved State

Himachal Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal

NEW DELHI: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister, Prem Kumar Dhumal has charged the UPA Government at the Centre of discriminating against the people of the hill State in terms of development projects and allocation of financial assistance to the State that was faced with a huge debt of Rs. 22930 crore.

“The previous Congress Government led by Virbhara Singh had plunged the State into a financial paralysis and left us with an empty coffer with outstanding debts standing at Rs. 22930 crore. Despite such a poor financial health, the State has not received the much promised financial package promised during the previous Congress regime by the Central Government,” Mr. Dhumal, who was in town to attend the NDA Chief Minister’s meeting, said on Sunday.

Mr. Dhumal said instead of coming to the aid of the State, the Centre was taking away even whatever had been announced and implemented by the previous NDA Government at the Centre including the industrial package. He said State had been clearly discriminated in allocation of I IT and Central University despite a public announcement having been made by the Union Finance Minister, P. Chidambaram on behalf of the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh during his visit to the State in October 2007 promising these two things for the State.

“The NDA Government had sanctioned Rs. 950 crore for the 8.8 Km long prestigious underground Rohtang tunnel project to connect the snow bound Lahaul and Pangi Valley with all weather. But this prestigious project has failed to take off so far due to apathy of the UPA Government,” he remarked.

Citing another instance, he said although Rs. 1,047 crore Bhanupalli-Bilaspur-Beri railway line has been declared project of national importance but only a token amount of Rs. 30 lakh has been provided in the railway budget during 2008-2009 despite the state making a provision of Rs. 37 crore during 2008-2009. Stating that while North-East States and Jammu and Kashmir were extended special package and financial assistance time and again, Mr. Dhumal said the UPA Government was taking away even what had been previously sanctioned by the NDA Government. “The industrial package for the State was valid till 2013 but then it was curtailed by the UPA Government to March 2007 and extended to March 2010 after protests. It should be restored to its original date,” he demanded.

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