Rajeev Bindal, President of the BJP in Himachal Pradesh, has strongly criticized the Congress-led government ahead of the presentation of its fourth budget under Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu.
Bindal stated that this will be the final budget of the current government’s tenure and questioned the fate of announcements made in the previous three budgets. He said the people of the state are now demanding accountability for promises that remain unfulfilled.
According to him, the Congress government made grand announcements in every budget over the past three years but has failed to implement them on the ground. He pointed out that retired employees are protesting on the streets, unemployed youth are agitating, and women, farmers, and orchardists are facing hardships, while overall development in the state has stalled.
Bindal also referred to the Congress party’s 2022 election manifesto, which was later approved as an official government document in the first Cabinet meeting. However, he claimed that none of the key promises have been fulfilled so far.
He highlighted that the government had promised to provide 1 lakh government jobs and 5 lakh employment opportunities within the first year, but these commitments remain unachieved. Similarly, the guarantee of providing ₹1,500 per month to 2.8 million women has also not been implemented.
Raising further concerns, Bindal questioned why schemes announced in the past budgets have not been executed. He asked whether the delay is due to government inefficiency or administrative failure.
He also alleged that the state government has taken loans worth approximately ₹45,000 crore over the past three years, yet the public has not benefited. He demanded transparency regarding how and where the funds were utilized.
Bindal added that while the government continues to borrow heavily, it has also increased the financial burden on the public by raising VAT on diesel, stamp duty, registration fees, HRTC bus fares, and prices of electricity, water, cement, and other essential commodities.
He concluded by stating that inflation has risen significantly due to the government’s policies, and the people of Himachal Pradesh now expect clear answers in the upcoming budget regarding unfulfilled promises and real relief measures.
