Says Centre Has Released Its Share; State Government’s Negligence Adding to Growers’ Burden
Shimla: State BJP spokesperson Chetan Singh Bragta has slammed the Congress-led Himachal Pradesh government for withholding the anti-hailnet subsidy, saying the move is forcing fruit growers to bear unnecessary financial burden.
Bragta said that after the Congress came to power in the state, the problems of fruit growers have only worsened. He alleged that the government’s apathy is evident in its failure to continue a crucial subsidy that once provided relief to thousands of growers.
“Fruit growers are installing anti-hailnets on their own to protect their crops from hailstorms, but the government’s negligence is making it extremely difficult for them financially,” said Bragta.
He recalled that during the tenure of the previous BJP government, up to 80% subsidy was given for anti-hailnets, which helped reduce input costs for growers. However, the Congress government has not only stopped the scheme but also held back the already approved payments.
He further claimed that the Congress government is misleading the public by saying that the state treasury is empty and hence the payments cannot be made. “The truth is that the central government has already transferred its share of the subsidy to the state,” Bragta asserted.
Calling horticulture the backbone of the state’s economy, Bragta said ignoring the concerns of the farming community is tantamount to harming Himachal’s financial health. He demanded that the state government immediately release the pending subsidy amounts to support the fruit growers.
