Indian National Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi reviewed the Himachal Congress progress made in its last nine months time and progress in implementing the UPA election manifesto promises. Along with Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, HPCC president Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu and Ambika Soni, general secretary in charge of Himachal, attended the meeting.
The Chief Minister raised the issue of uneven Centre-state share in some-centrally sponsored schemes and sought help from Gandhi in forging uniformity. He demands Centre-state share of 90:10 on the lines of the northeastern states in all education-related centrally sponsored schemes, such as the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and Rashtriya Uchchtar Shiksha Abhiyan. Veteran Congress leader also sought Rs 75-crore grant each HP University Shimla, HP Agricultural University, Palampur, and Horticulture University, Solan.
Singh also raised the issues of adequate flood relief funds, the deducted special component plan, special plan assistance and pending railway lines projects with Congress Vice-President. Chief Minister also shared horticulture vision document with Rahul Gandhi and sought Rs 1,000-crore to implement it. Chief Minister informed Gandhi that state is on the line of becoming the apple bowl of India and to realise it state need to strengthen its infrastructure.
This meeting was the next in the series of state Congress meetings which Rahul Gandhi started after becoming vice-president of the party. Gandhi meets state Congress leaders every 90 days to review progress on the organisation and development fronts. In the next meeting, Chief Minister will share vision documents on industry, railways and tourism.
