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Dharamshala (HP), Dec 22 (PTI) The BJP government failed to spend more than Rs 4,032 crore of the budget it was allocated in 2020-21 and 2021-22 across departments, Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu informed the Assembly House on Friday.
Replying to a question posed by Independent MLA Hoshoyar Singh, Sukhu said that the BJP government could not spend Rs 408.35 crore allocated to it under the Scheduled Caste Development Scheme in 2020-21 and Rs 611.26 crore in 2021-22.
In a jibe, the CM said that the Centre shortchanged its own “double-engine government” and the present Congress government is bringing more money from the Centre than the previous dispensation did.
He said the BJP members demanding a discussion on the employment issue do not know that their party’s government failed to use up Rs 117.78 crore in 2020-21 and Rs 21.99 crore in 2021-22 allocated to the Labour and Employment Department.
The CM said that funds up to Rs 45.03 crore and Rs 165.51 crore remained unspent in the Rural Development Department in 2020-21 and 2021-22.
Similarly, Rs 68.60 crore and Rs 58.72 crore in the Forest Department, and Rs 465.16 and Rs 360.19 crore in the Health Department remained unused in the two fiscals.
The Police department failed to spend Rs 245.05 crore and Rs 91.62 crore in the two financial years, while the Education Department could not spend Rs 589.18 crore and Rs 348.86 crore in the same years.
In response to Hoshiyar Singh’s supplementary question on increasing the diet money of police personnel, Sukhu said the matter was under the consideration and the money will be increased as soon as the economic condition of the state improves.
Earlier in the session, Hoshiyar Singh said that police get a monthly diet alliance of Rs 210, or Rs 7 per day.
Responding to a question by Kuldeep Rathore (Congress) regarding the use of corporate social responsibility funds at Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam project, the CM said there will be no compromise with the interests of the state.
He said changes in policy in power sector are being made to safeguard the interest of the state and the government has issued a notice to the SJVN regarding Luhri, Sunni, and Dhaulasidh hydroelectric projects and sought its reply within 15 days.
The notice has been sent because the SJVN has not entered into an agreement with the government for these three projects, he said.
In case the corporation does not reach an agreement with the government, the process of withdrawing these projects will be initiated, he said The CM said that the previous BJP government ignored the interests of the state in these three projects by waiving 50 per cent in goods and Service Tax (GST) and not provisioning money from the projects for local development.
Himachal Pradesh also suffered losses in electricity royalty which the present government now wants to increase, he said.
Rathore demanded the formation of an inquiry committee to probe into the matter of CSR funds not being spent properly from these projects in his area.
Sukhu said that the CSR money will have to be spent by the project managers, all the same, he would discuss with the MLA his proposal of inquiry committee. PTI COR BPL VN VN
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
