Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, Chief Minister, Himachal Pradesh
Shimla: The economic crisis in Himachal Pradesh has deepened. The situation is such that the government is unable to pay salaries and pensions to its employees. More than 2 lakh employees and 1.50 lakh pensioners of Himachal Pradesh have not received salary-pension. This is the first time that employees have not received salary on time. Now the salary will be paid only after receiving the monthly installment of Rs 490 crore of revenue deficit grant from the central government. Usually the installment of revenue deficit grant reaches the government account on the 5th or 6th. After this, Rs 688 crore of central taxes reach on the 10th. In such a situation, pension will be received only after this.
Two thousand crore rupees are needed every month for salaries
Actually, Himachal needs two thousand crore rupees every month for the salary of government employees. Out of this, 1200 crore rupees are required for salary and 800 crore rupees for pension. Now the situation is such that if the government receives any amount as disaster relief from the center, then even that cannot be diverted to the head of salary and pension. In this way, this crisis has become serious.
The double engine government looted the treasury
However, Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh completely rejected the talk of economic crisis in the state. He said that steps are being taken to make Himachal self-reliant. The salaries of employees in the state have not been stopped but economic reforms are being done. There are some problems but the state has to move forward. The salaries of the employees of the board and corporation have already been released. The system of the government department is being fixed and salaries will definitely be released soon. He said that there should be a discussion in the House on financial management. We want to tell the public how the previous double engine government has looted the treasury. He made serious allegations against the previous BJP government.
Congress government’s guarantees became the reason?
The leader of opposition Jairam Thakur has blamed the guarantees of the Congress government for the economic crisis in the state. He said that this is the first time in the state that even after the 3rd of the month, the employees have not received their salary and the pensioners have not received their pension. A serious economic crisis has arisen in the state. The situation in Himachal has become such that this government has become incapable of paying salaries to the employees. The government should take this matter seriously. Himachal has come to the brink of bankruptcy.
It is not right to keep blaming the center all the time: Jairam Thakur
On the allegations of the Centre not helping, Jairam Thakur said that Himachal gets Revenue Deficit Grant from the Centre. Its installment will come on the 6th. It has not been stopped. Apart from this, what help is needed from the Centre? The Chief Minister of the state should accept that there is an economic crisis in the state. It is not right to keep blaming the Centre all the time. Since the government in the state is of Congress, it is also their responsibility. He said that to gain power, Congress gave false guarantees. When the government started implementing the guarantee, the state came into an economic crisis. Congress is responsible for the economic crisis in the state.
Jairam Thakur said that this is an example for other states as well, just like Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Khatakhat’ formula under Congress Freeways, it has opened the eyes of other states that if false guarantees are given, then this will be the end result. Employees will not get their salaries on time and in the coming time, the crisis in Himachal will deepen even more.
Employees are getting upset due to delay in salary
On the other hand, employee leaders say that the situation is not clear as to when the salary will come and neither has the government given any official information about it. Employees have to borrow money from here and there to meet their expenses. Employees have to pay bills of electricity, water, ration etc. which they are not able to pay. EMI is also getting affected. Employees are getting calls from the bank and some have even been fined. Employees who are raising their voice against the government are being transferred.
Let us tell you that Himachal government has a debt of about 94 thousand crore rupees and 10 thousand crore rupees as liabilities to employees. Most of the government’s income is being spent on salary-pension and repaying old loans. There is a continuous budget cut from the centre as well. Due to this, the government is facing financial crisis.
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