Shimla: The Governor’s office has reportedly rejected the Himachal Pradesh government’s proposal to convene a one-day special session of the Legislative Assembly to discuss the discontinuation of the Revenue Deficit Grant (RDG) in the Union Budget.
Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania visited the Governor’s office on Friday morning and discussed the proposal. According to sources in the Governor’s office, the Governor suggested that the issue should be taken up during the upcoming budget session instead of holding a special session.
The Governor’s office stated that it is the time for the budget session and that the government can bring the proposal and pass a resolution during that session. The meeting between the Speaker and the Governor reportedly lasted for about half an hour.
During the discussion, the state government argued that a special session was necessary to formally register its protest against the discontinuation of the RDG and to protect the financial interests of Himachal Pradesh. The government maintained that the withdrawal of the grant would have a serious impact on the state’s financial position.
The government had planned to pass a resolution in the Assembly during the special session and forward it to the central government, urging it to reconsider the decision. The rejection of the proposal is likely to further increase tension between the state government and the Governor’s office. However, no official comment has been made by the government so far.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said the special session was being convened in the interest of the people of Himachal Pradesh. He said the people should know what the central government has given to the state. He pointed out that while the state’s share in taxes increases every year, the Revenue Deficit Grant, which Himachal Pradesh had been receiving for the past 72 years, has now been stopped.
The Chief Minister sought cooperation from BJP MLAs and urged them to present their views in the Assembly. He also alleged that the BJP is spreading misinformation on social media and said the proposed session was meant to address the state’s economic situation and the impact of the discontinuation of the RDG.
