Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Sunday defended the decision to shut down offices and institutions opened under the previous BJP government, saying over 590 such establishments were set up during the fag end of its tenure without budgetary provision.
He was reacting after former chief minister Jai Ram Thakur, who was on Sunday elected the leader of the BJP legislative party, termed as illegal the decision of the Congress government to close these institutions. Thakur said that the establishments were cleared by the state Cabinet with budget allocation and creation of posts, a claim contested by Chief Minister Sukhu who returned here from Delhi on Sunday.
Sukhu said that the previous BJP government in the last six months of its tenure went on a spree to open health, education, revenue and other institutions "in a desperate bid to befool voters"'. In a statement, he said that an amount of Rs 3000 crore is required to make all these institutions functional and added that the state is under a heavy financial debt of over Rs. 75,000 crore.
He maintained that the state government has decided to wind up such institutions and they would be reviewed. If found to be viable, they would be opened after making proper budget provisions, he said. Sukhu alleged that the BJP government, which claimed to be running on double-engine, could not get "even a single penny" as assistance from the central government during its tenure.
The chief minister said that in most of these institutions, staff from adjoining establishments was temporarily deployed which was not only proving futile for the newly opened offices but also hampering the functioning of the already existing institutions.
He alleged that health institutions opened during this period were devoid of man and machinery and were "simply an eyewash". He said that the state government would take the whole issue to the people and apprise them about the "misdeeds" of the previous BJP Government. Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said that the present government was for a change of governance system and not to enjoy power.
He said that thegGovernment would ensure that institutions are opened in the larger interest of the people of the state. Thakur, who also submitted a memorandum to the governor on the issue, opposed the "de-notifying of functional institutions" opened after April 1, 2022.
It is illegal and the BJP is examining the matter legally as the institutions were opened after approval from the cabinet and with the budget provision and creation of posts. He informed the governor that the present Congress government has closed 574 institutions including offices related to electricity services, health institutions, ITI revenue sub-circles, police stations and Ayurvedic hospitals which were functional.
