BJP opened 590 institutions without any budgetary provisions: CM Sukhu

Shimla: Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu shot back at the BJP on criticism relating to the closure of the functional institutions and offices in the state during the past week of the congress government.

On return from Delhi after a week, Sukhu said the previous BJP government had opened over 590 institutions during the fag end of its tenure without making any budgetary provision and without recruitment of required staff. The sole objective was to woo the voters in the state, who did not eventually vote the BJP back to power.

The chief minister said the former BJP government during 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 the voters.

He said that to make functional all these 590 institutions, an amount of about Rs 3000 crores was required. He said that it was strange the State was reeling under the heavy financial debt trap of over Rs 75,000 crores and the BJP Government who claimed to be the government of double engine could not even get the assistance of even a single penny from the Central Government during its tenure.

Sukhu said that over 30 health institutions had been opened by the previous BJP Government which did not have even class IV employees and a large number of institutions were opened with just a single employee. He said that it was strange that SDM offices were opened and no SDM was posted in these offices.

The Chief Minister said that in most of the institutions' staff from adjoining institutions were temporarily deployed which was not only proving futile for the newly opened offices but also hampering the functioning of the already existing institution.

He said that health institutions opened during this period were devoid of man and machinery and were simply an eye wash to befool the people. He said that the state government would take up the whole issue with the people and apprise them about the misdeeds of the previous government. Sukhu said that the government has decided to wind up such institutions and all these would be reviewed and if found to be viable and required would be opened after making proper budget provisions.