HP budget session set to be stormy
Session likely to see war of words; state under debt of over ₹46,500 crore
SHIMLA : The maiden budget session of Jai Ram Thakur’s BJP government in the hill state, starting Tuesday, is expected to be stormy with both the ruling and opposition parties already engaging in a bitter battle of words to outscore each other.
The precarious financial condition has been the biggest challenge before the state government. Chief minister (CM) Jai Ram Thakur has been outrightly blaming the previous Virbhadra Singh-led Congress government for the poor fiscal of the state. The debt burden of state exceeds over ₹46,500 crore.
CM Thakur will present the budget on March 9 and it will be passed on March 29. The session will conclude on April 5.
WHAT TO EXPECT
As many as 390 starred and 30 unstarred questions have been listed for the budget. Though it is unlikely the government will prepare a populist budget, it will keep in focus the upcoming 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Last time, the BJP won all four parliamentary seats from Shimla, Mandi, Kangra and Hamirpur.
COMMON MAN PINS HOPE
The agrarian community in the state is hopeful that the budget will have more for them in store this time. The farmers are also suffering from damage to crops by wild animals, particularly monkeys, blue bulls and wild boars. Rising unemployment in the state is another major concern. The economic survey of 2016-2017 had pegged the number of unemployed youth in state at over 8.24 lakh.
Further, both Congress and BJP have been blaming each other for pending detailed projects reports (DPRS) for the national highways sanctioned by the Centre. The government sanctioned 63 major highways and the BJP has been blaming the Congress for delay.
The legislature groups of both the parties will meet in the evening to chalk out floor strategies. The Congress has 21 legislators and BJP 44.
CLP leader Mukesh Agnihotri said, “The BJP government is adamant on amending Section 118 of the HP Land Tenancy Act 1972. Himachal has always been on sale during BJP rules.” He further accused the government of large-scale transfers of officers. “The two previous BJP CMS, Shanta Kumar and the Prem Kumar Dhumal never behaved like the present CM, he said.
Meanwhile, Thakur has already announced his government’s decision to amend the said Section 118 that forbids non-agriculturist Himachali’s from purchasing agricultural land in the state. Interference of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in government functioning would be another issue the Congress could corner BJP on.