Himachal Pradesh government faces criticism for excessive loans

The Leader of Opposition, Jai Ram Thakur, criticized the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh for its borrowing practices. He stated that the current administration, led by Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, has taken ₹27,000 crore in loans in just two years. In contrast, he said the previous BJP government borrowed ₹28,744 crore over five years. Thakur highlighted that the state's debt could exceed ₹1 lakh crore. He reminded the assembly that Himachal Pradesh had no loans until 1993. He blamed the Congress for the growing debt levels, noting that during the BJP's tenure, they inherited significant liabilities from the Congress government. The former Chief Minister expressed concern about the state’s stalled development. He criticized the recent budget for showing low growth and significant cuts to key sectors. For example, funding for road and transport dropped by over 43%, and cuts were also made to irrigation, drinking water supply, and agricultural services. In response, Chief Minister Sukhu explained that the budget constraints were due to reduced revenue grants and the end of GST compensation, which affected the government's finances.