Himachal assembly poll are reaching fast and every party is doing everything possible to woo voters. BJP has leveled serious allegations against center Govt for not releasing State’s share, however on the other side Congress accused Dhumal Govt as inefficient and anti development. Congress accusing State Govt for the lack of development in state, however, BJP leaders blame Congress led UPA Govt for the present mess in the state.
However to prove its point, when it matter most, the Congress released details of funds provided by the Center to state Govt. This Congress detail showed that the state government had failed to utilise Rs 10,000 crore available under various Central schemes.
Congress senior leader and Former Punjab minister S Singla, while releasing the detail in Shimla, stated that Dhumal had been forced to resort to such tactics after his ‘development plank’ fell flat due to ‘indifferent’ performance of the government over the past five years.
He alleged that the most glaring example of the government’s incompetence was provided by its failure to prepare development plan for Shimla, which was specially brought under the JNNURM by relaxing the minimum population norm.
He added that the mission was launched in 2007, but the BJP government submitted the plan on March 8, 2011, due to which the state could not avail Rs 4,000 crore over the past four years.
He said details of funds not utilised by the state were available in the CAG reports for 2008-09 and 2010-11.
According to the report, it failed to utilise 39 to 65 per cent of the funds under various heads in 2009-10.The amount lapsed because of non-utilisation included Rs 418 crore (under the education head), Rs 113 crore (health), Rs 114 crore (power), Rs 125 crore (ARDRP), Rs 113 crore (roads), Rs 125 crore (hospitals), Rs 50 crore (tribal sub plan), Rs 95 crore ( rural development ), Rs 75 crore (transport) and Rs 54 crore (housing). During 2011-12, over Rs 400 crore lapsed due to non-utilisation, which included Rs 5o crore (PWD), Rs 58 crore (health) and Rs 52 crore (revenue). The state lost Central funds to the tune of Rs 2,500 crore because of inadequate or non-utilisation. In 2008-09, the Centre provided Rs 977.60 crore under various national programmes, out of which only Rs 446 crore was utilised and in 2010-11, only Rs 663 crore, out of Rs 1,352 crore was utilised.
Singla said with such a ‘dismal’ track record, the BJP should refrain from accusing the UPA of discrimination against the state.
