Shimla: Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur has accused the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led government of being embroiled in corruption, alleging that scams are surfacing across the state. Thakur cited a recent report in the media regarding irregular project approvals worth Rs 97 lakh for certain NGOs under the Social Justice and Empowerment Department.
According to Thakur, senior officials have shown undue leniency towards these NGOs despite competent officers recommending action against them. He questioned why higher authorities overlooked these recommendations and instead rejected the appeals of their subordinates. “This is not a minor case but involves senior IAS officers,” he asserted.
The opposition leader criticized the government for burdening the public with taxes under the pretext of an economic crisis while allegedly favouring select organizations by bypassing regulations. “On one hand, common people are being deprived of facilities, and on the other, government funds are being looted for the benefit of a few,” he said.
Thakur specifically pointed to the State Level Multi-disciplinary Grant Assistance Committee (MDDGI) meeting, where three NGOs from Kangra were initially found guilty of irregularities. Their projects were rejected by the Member Secretary, and it was recommended that their registration be cancelled. The Chairman of the meeting also approved this decision. However, Thakur alleged that the same NGOs later received conditional approval, and the department’s Secretary recommended forwarding their proposals to the Central Government, allowing misuse of funds meant for government-sponsored projects.
He further questioned why the government remained silent for over a month despite these irregularities being evident. “Which officer ignored the rules and supported such favouritism? Why did the government turn a blind eye to such a massive scam?” he asked.
Thakur also demanded that Chief Minister Sukhu clarify what action he intends to take against those involved in the alleged scam. “If he continues to shield those responsible for looting state resources, then questions will be raised against him as well,” he warned.
