Himachal raised over Rs.11,044 crore as loan in three years: CM

Himachal Pradesh has raised Rs.11,044.44 crore in three years and paid Rs.4,454.83 crore as interest on borrowings during the period, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh informed the assembly on Friday.

The state's loan liability till February 29 this year includes Rs.7,162 crore from the open market and Rs.242.82 crore from the Centre, he told the house in a written reply.

Virbhadra Singh, who also holds the finance portfolio, said that interest on the borrowings ranged from zero percent to 13 percent.

He said despite limited resources, the hill state brought down the debt-gross state domestic product ratio to 34.8 in 2014-15 as against the 40.1 percent target fixed by the 13th Finance Commission.

The state government raised all market loans only after obtaining the Centre's approval under Article 293 (3) of the Constitution, he said.

In his budget speech on March 8, the chief minister said that out of every Rs.100 spent, Rs.28.98 go towards salaries of government employees, Rs.12.89 for pensions, Rs.10.43 for interest payment, Rs.6.84 for loan repayment, and the remaining Rs.40.86 are spent on developmental works.