Shimla: Principal Advisor (Media) to the Chief Minister Naresh Chauhan said that the state government has released Rs. 500 crore to clear pending payments of contractors so that dues up to 1st March can be settled. He added that the government had earlier released Rs. 250 crore for the same purpose.
Speaking to media persons here today, Chauhan said the state government is working with financial discipline and will not allow any obstacle to come in the way of state’s development. He said the opposition has been repeatedly commenting on the state’s financial condition, but instead of criticizing, they should cooperate with the government. He said that opposition leaders have not shown seriousness on issues concerning the interests of the state, which is unfortunate. He said the people of the state will ask what the opposition was doing when the interests of Himachal Pradesh were at stake.
Naresh Chauhan further said that during the disaster, the Prime Minister had announced Rs. 1,500 crore for Himachal Pradesh, but the amount has not yet been received by the state. He said that Congress MP Rajni Patil raised the issue in Parliament, while BJP MPs from Himachal Pradesh did not raise the matter of discontinuation of RDG and financial assistance. He said the question of why Himachal Pradesh is being discriminated against is a serious issue. Even after the discontinuation of RDG, the state government is taking important decisions to improve the financial situation and ensure development, he added.
