Shimla, Feb 19,
Himachal Pradesh Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh has dismissed the Modi government’s claim of allocating a special grant of Rs 11,806 crore to the state, calling it a “bundle of lies.”
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Singh was reacting to an announcement made by Union Minister of State for Railways and Food Processing, Ravneet Singh Bittu, during an exhibition at Gaiety Theatre. Addressing the media today, Singh stated that the state government has found no record of the so-called additional grant mentioned by the Union Minister.
The ongoing verbal sparring between the state and central governments intensified following the exhibition, where massive hoardings were displayed touting the central government’s financial assistance to Himachal Pradesh.
Singh criticized Bittu, alleging that he made baseless claims without verifying facts and figures. According to Singh, there is no mention of the Rs 11,806 crore allocation on the official website of the Union Railway Ministry.
He pointed out that, over the past three financial years, the Centre had approved Rs 3,867 crore for the Bhanupali-Bilaspur railway project, but only Rs 1,991 crore had actually been spent. “Half of the allocated amount remains unutilized, and yet the Union Minister is making tall claims,” Singh said.
He further explained that the total sanctioned cost of the Bhanupali-Bilaspur project is around Rs 3,000 crore, with Rs 700 crore set aside for land acquisition. The Centre and state had agreed on a funding ratio of 75:25, but with the revised project cost escalating to Rs 7,000 crore, the Centre is now unwilling to provide additional grants beyond Rs 70 crore for land acquisition. The overall land acquisition cost has risen to Rs 1,100 crore, of which the Himachal Pradesh government has already deposited Rs 300 crore.
Singh asserted that, as part of cooperative federalism, railway projects should be funded in a 90:10 ratio between the Centre and the state. “There is no documented evidence of this Rs 11,806 crore grant. The Union Minister’s statements are mere hype and not grounded in reality,” he said.
Singh acknowledged that the Centre had provided Rs 54,662 crore to Himachal Pradesh over the past decade, but he clarified that these funds were part of centrally sponsored schemes (CSS) rather than a special grant. He stressed that Himachal Pradesh contributes significantly to central revenue through taxes and levies and, therefore, has the rightful claim to such allocations.
Responding to Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla’s remarks about maintaining cordial relations with the Centre, Singh stated that the Himachal Pradesh government agrees with this principle but expects reciprocity.
He also mentioned that under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), the state government has uploaded a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for 1,000 km of new roads on the central government’s website, expecting swift approval. “All habitations in the state will soon be connected with proper roads,” he assured.
According to the Union Government, Rs 11,806 crore has been allocated to Himachal Pradesh for infrastructure, transport, water supply, agriculture, and health development. The hoardings at Gaiety Theatre further claimed that Rs 54,662 crore has been provided to the state over the past decade.
The Centre also stated that Rs 2,716 crore had been invested in railway projects in the state, supplementing Rs 13,168 crore for major railway initiatives, including the installation of Vista Dome coaches on the Kalka-Shimla heritage railway, the Bilaspur-Leh broad-gauge railway, and the Chandigarh-Manali-Leh rail line.
Additionally, the Centre claimed that under centrally sponsored schemes like the Jal Jeevan Mission and Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, Rs 67,000 crore and Rs 78,128 crore, respectively, would be allocated to the state. Further allocations of Rs 12,100 crore for the Ujjwala Yojana and Rs 12,500 crore for Anganwadi and Women & Child Development programs were also highlighted.
Despite these claims, Singh has maintained that the state government has no concrete records of the Rs 11,806 Cr additional grant and has called for transparency in central allocations to Himachal Pradesh.
