Haryana: Former CM Hooda seeks white paper on state finances

Chandigarh: Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Thursday demanded from the Haryana government that it issue a white paper on the state finances, saying it should give the account of expenditure as development isn't visible on the ground.

Hooda, who is the Leader of the Opposition in the Haryana Assembly, said the state debt has mounted to over Rs 3 lakh crore.

"This is worrisome. Our demand is that the government should issue a white paper and tell why so much money was being borrowed and where this money was used because development is not visible on the ground," Hooda told reporters here.

The former chief minister, who has in the past has dubbed the state's BJP-JJP regime as an "event management" government, said they are taking credit for starting the National Institute of Fashion Technology but they should explain why the project was delayed for eight years.

"This government also has not taken even one decision in favour of farmers. During the Congress government's time, farmers used to get compensation if high-tension power towers and wires passed through their fields but the present government changed this policy," Hooda said.

"Now, farmers don't get any compensation for the wires passing through their fields which reduces the value of their land," he added.

Accusing the BJP-led government of doublespeak, Hooda said it had promised to double farmers' income by 2022, instead the input cost has doubled.

On law and order, he said not only the common man but the legislators are also feeling unsafe and many of them have received threats.

He said when the Congress was in power, criminals had fled the state.

"Now, if you see in the Sidhu Moosewala murder case, many of those caught or named are linked to Haryana," he said.

Hooda alleged the deteriorating law and order situation has also shaken the faith of investors who were now preferring other states over Haryana.

To a question, he said the state Congress' organisational structure will be put in place soon.

On the possibility of Congress leader Kuldeep Bishnoi leaving the party to join the BJP, Hooda said it will not have any impact.

To a related question, he said in the past too leaving of some leaders has not impacted the Congress party, "which is here for public service and not hankering for power".

With the Centre recently announcing land for setting up an additional building for the Haryana Vidhan Sabha in Chandigarh, Hooda reiterated that for the land of the assembly in its own capital, the central government is valuing 10 acres at Rs 500 crore.

"It is clear from this that the government is diluting Haryana's authority over Chandigarh," he said.

He further reiterated that the state has full rights over Chandigarh, which is the common capital of Punjab and Haryana.

"If Haryana gets compensation and Hindi-speaking areas in the same proportion, then Haryana is ready to make its own capital," he said.

To a question, Hooda felt building an additional Vidhan Sabha building six to seven km away from the present building, which is near to the civil secretariat, is not practical.

The additional Vidhan Sabha building can come up in the land adjacent to the existing structure.