Debate on guv's address: LoP accuses govt of multiple failures, CM puts up spirited defence

In a heated debate on the governor's address to the state assembly, the Congress Tuesday accused the BJP government of multiple failures, prompting Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur to put up a spirited defence of his government.

Initiating the debate on Governor Acharya Dev Vrat's address to the state assembly on the second day of its budget session, Leader of Opposition Mukesh Agnihotri rued omission of various issues in the address, saying they indicated the government had no achievements to mention on those fronts.

There was no mention of national highways in governor's address despite tall claims of the Jai Ram Thakur government of getting huge funds for a number of new highways from the Centre, said Agnihotri.

This clearly shows that the Thakur government has failed to get approval for any new national highway from the Centre, he said, adding his government is misleading the public on this issue.

The government has also failed to do anything to reduce the state's debt, which has increased to over Rs 50,000 crore, he said, adding it has failed to fulfil most of the promises made by the BJP in its vision document released before the last assembly elections.

Urging Thakur to get funds for national highways and for reducing the state debt, the leader of opposition said the CM should try to get funds from the Centre at the earliest as the Modi government will last only for 25 days.

The leader of opposition said the chief minister had made tall claims on starting heli-taxi service between Shimla and Chandigarh but it was not functional for quite some time.

Accusing the Thakur government of spending a huge amount of money from public exchequer on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's public meeting in Dharamshala on the first anniversary of the government, he said the prime minister, however, did not announce any package for the state.

The PM did not even lay the foundation stone for a Central university in Dharamshala, he added.

On governor's praise to the Centre's Ayushman Bharat scheme, Agnihotri took a dig at the chief minister, saying "Do not praise the schemes launched by (Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash) Nadda, he will become a threat for you."
Referring to the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojna, Agnihotri said, "The small farmers will not be benefitted much with Rs 17 per day scheme of the Centre. If Thakur government is serious, it should waive farmers' loans like the Congress governments are doing after coming to power in various states."
Rebutting Agnihotri's charges of huge expenditure on PM's Dharamshala visit, the chief minister said, "I can understand the opposition's concern over the prime minister's visit to Himachal twice - at my oath taking ceremony and at the first anniversary of this government."
Referring to Agnihotri's statement on Jan Manch Programmes, the chief minister said, "His concern on JMPs clearly shows that this scheme is a great success in the state."