Shimla: Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur on Thursday said that Himachal Pradesh received nearly five times more financial assistance under the leadership of Narendra Modi compared to the period of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), and alleged that the real injustice to the state occurred during the UPA regime.
Addressing a press conference in Shimla, Thakur said that ever since the Congress government assumed office in the state, it has continued to receive substantial financial support from the Centre but has consistently blamed it to divert public attention from its own shortcomings. He said the real issue is not whether RDG was mentioned in the Union Budget, but that even when the state was receiving Revenue Deficit Grant, the government continued to claim financial distress.
He stated that after the recommendations of the 16th Finance Commission, if the Revenue Deficit Grant has been discontinued, it is the responsibility of the present government to manage finances effectively and ensure fiscal discipline. Blaming the Centre or previous governments for its failures cannot resolve the situation. If the government is unable to handle the financial challenges, it should admit it before the people instead of politicising the matter, he said.
Referring to the recent Assembly proceedings, Thakur said that discussion on the Motion of Thanks after the Governor’s Address is both a rule and a convention. However, he alleged that the government was determined to introduce a political resolution on the Revenue Deficit Grant. According to him, the opposition participated in the debate and highlighted the government’s three-year performance with factual data, but when discrepancies in figures were pointed out during the Chief Minister’s reply, the opposition was denied an opportunity to clarify facts. In protest, BJP MLAs entered the well of the House.
Thakur said the Chief Minister himself has repeatedly admitted that the state may face increasing financial stress, which could make it difficult to fulfil guarantees and continue development works, as well as meet commitments related to salaries, pensions and dearness allowance. Instead of raising political slogans, the government should focus on practical solutions and sound financial management, he added.
Citing Finance Commission data, Thakur said that during the UPA regime, Himachal Pradesh received around ₹18,000 crore under the 12th and 13th Finance Commissions. In contrast, under the Modi government, the state received about ₹89,254 crore under the 14th and 15th Finance Commissions. He claimed that this clearly shows that the real injustice to Himachal Pradesh occurred during the UPA rule.
He also raised questions over what he described as contradictory statements made by the Chief Minister regarding loan figures. Thakur said that on one day in the Assembly, the Chief Minister stated that the state had taken ₹23,000 crore in loans and repaid ₹26,000 crore, while on another day he claimed that ₹35,400 crore had been borrowed and ₹27,043 crore repaid. He further pointed out that in a written reply in the Assembly in August 2025, the government had stated that ₹26,830 crore had been borrowed and ₹8,253 crore repaid. For the financial year 2025–26, a provision of ₹10,200 crore has been made for repayment of principal and interest.
Questioning how the public can trust such conflicting figures, Thakur said that claiming repayment of over ₹19,000 crore within seven months appears unrealistic, especially when such repayment provisions are not reflected clearly in the budget.
He clarified that borrowing is not unusual, as all governments raise loans according to need, but misrepresenting facts is serious. He said that during the previous BJP government’s tenure, around ₹40,672 crore was borrowed and approximately ₹38,276 crore repaid, and that in the final financial year, the BJP government had a borrowing capacity of around ₹6,500 crore, which it chose not to utilise.
Thakur added that the BJP stands ready to cooperate in the interest of Himachal Pradesh, but if attempts are made to present a distorted picture of the state’s finances for political gain, the party will respond with facts and data.
