Shimla: Major decline in the farm sector income in predominantly agriculture state and debt burden exceeding Rs 50,000 crore mark with no significant effort of additional resource mobilisation is bound to push Himachal Pradesh to a debt trap, feels a Congress leader.
Leader of Opposition Mukesh Agnihotri, who on Sunday spoke on state's budget of Rs 44.388 crore for year 2019-20 presented in the Vidhan Sabha by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Saturday said till a year back, the BJP was making noise of all kinds against former Virbhadra Singh for raising excessive loans . It promised to make Himachal Pradesh a debt free state. The state will be reeling under Rs 60,000 crore by end of the BJP's regime in 2022.
"Mr Chief Minister you have chosen the same dangerous path. There is no word in the budget document as how and from where the funds will come for development. Very boldly, you boasted of raising loans..It's a trap with serious consequences," cautioned Agnihotri.
Initiating the debate, the Congress leader said there is a talk of external funding in the budget. But, there is not even a single scheme which has been approved. Everything is either on the paper or at conceptual stage. How will you run the state without resources, especially when no reimbursements will come from the GST after 2022.
He asked the Chief Minister to present a white paper on 30-odd schemes announced in the first budget (2018-19) as nothing has happened to them. Tell us the success report or report card of those schemes before to get down to start new 15 schemes, as proposed in the budget. He expressed doubts if the idea of doubling farm income in the state will work as there was no road map. The budget doesn't draw up any road map to development, infrastructure growth and improving the services delivery.
Later making a brief intervention, Chief Minister said "I am disappointed at Agnihotri's speech which was far beyond the facts. One thing is, however, clear that mechanism of raising loans is an accepted system of the budget making The loans, which my government raised, are much less than those of the Congress regime."