Former Union Minister and Hamirpur MP Anurag Singh Thakur has criticized the Himachal Pradesh budget presented by the Congress government, calling it “directionless” and a “box of hollow promises.” He alleged that Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has merely completed formalities in the name of a budget without explaining how the state, under an economic emergency, will fund the announced schemes.
Thakur stated, “In the name of presenting the budget, the Congress government has once again deceived the people of Himachal. This budget is completely directionless and full of hollow promises. After imposing an economic emergency, the Chief Minister is now completing formalities. The Congress government appears to be running away from its responsibilities, leaving Himachal entirely dependent on the Central Government. The Chief Minister must clarify where he will arrange the funds for the budget’s announcements.”
He further pointed out that the Chief Minister spoke about the Dearness Allowance (DA) for employees but did not address previous pending instalments. Thakur also criticized the budget for its silence on the Sixth Pay Commission and alleged neglect of employees like PD Multi Task Workers, Veterinary Assistants, Chowkidars, and Mid-Day Meal Workers. “Congress should tell the people what provisions have been made in this budget to fulfill the false promises and guarantees they made to form the government,” he added.
BJP State President Dr Rajiv Bindal Highlights Fiscal Concerns
BJP State President Dr. Rajiv Bindal also criticized the budget, stating that Chief Minister Sukhu himself admitted that Rs 76 out of every Rs 100 is spent on general liabilities—25 paise for salaries, 20 paise for pensions, 12 paise for interest, 10 paise for payables, and 9 paise for social services. “After these liabilities, only Rs 24 remains for capital expenditure, leaving nothing for real development,” Bindal said.
Dr. Bindal accused the Congress government of using the budget to blame the previous administration rather than focusing on governance. “The entire budget revolves around blaming the BJP for debts left before 2022. However, there is no explanation on the continuous borrowing by the present government—how much is being borrowed, for how long, and for what purpose. This raises a significant concern.”
Criticism Over Law and Order, Education, and Healthcare
The BJP leader also raised questions about the government’s stance on law and order, education, and healthcare. He criticized the closure of 1,200 schools and nearly 1,600 institutions, questioning how the government could claim to improve education while shutting down facilities. “The same contradiction exists in healthcare, where institutions are being closed, yet they speak of quality improvement. There is no mention of schemes like HIMCARE and Ayushman Yojana in the budget. Instead, the government is deceiving people by renaming welfare schemes.”
He further called the budget a betrayal of the youth and unemployed, stating that farmers had been ignored. Expressing concerns over deteriorating law and order, Bindal remarked, “Incidents of firing in broad daylight in Himachal are a matter of serious concern. Law and order have improved in states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, yet Himachal Pradesh is making headlines for the wrong reasons. The budget has no mention of this pressing issue.”
