Claim to open Institutions with budgetary provision; a bundle of lies : Bhawani Pathania MLA

Fighting relentlessly and on fact, two time Congress Member of Assembly from Fathepur of Kangra district, Bhawani Singh Pathania demolished the BJP claims that they had opened institutions with budgetary provision.

Speaking against the adjournment motion in the debate intiated by BJP member Sukh Ram Chaudhary, the Congress member stated that a bundle of lies is being told in media for almost three months that the institutions have been closed with a sense of revenge.

He debated by putting figures of 2022 budget straight in the house emphatically. First figure was about revenue deficit in the year 2020-21, over the previous year that was Rs 12000 crore.  Means the revenue projection made vs the income projection, was reduced income by 1000 crores from last year.  Secondly, income decreased by Rs.1000 crores and expenses increased by Rs.3000 crores.  Now for this increased expenditure, what did you do? , questioned Pathania. “You reduced Rs 1500 crore from the capital expenditure,” stated the Congress MLA.

Reducing the capital outlay meant that the BJP government reduced the money for  buildings, for primary health centers, for schools. “Now what happened when it reduced the money, a divine power came in errestwhile state government as it opened just two colleges in the first four and a half years and 23 in last six month,” he commented. Adding that Jai Ram Thakur Government opened 24 primary schools in first four and a half years and 45 new ones in the last six months.  Similarly, 45 middle schools were opened in the first four and a half years and 84 new were opened in the last six months. It also opened 49 high schools in the first four and a half years.  53 Plus two schools were opened in first four and a half years, whereas

98 were opened in the last 6 months tenure. They  opened a total of 173 educational institutions in your first four and a half year term and after reducing the capital outlay by Rs 1500 crore in the last 6 months, announced opening of 351 institutions.

“Why such pathetic announcements were made? questioned Pathania displaying anger.

“These happened due to three assembly by-elections and one Lok Sabha election in the state.” When the Bharatiya Janata Party lost 4-0 in polls, someone advised them that the innocent people of Himachal Pradesh might not understand the kind of announcements they make.

Pathania added that your people are saying that these institutions were properly opened. If these institutions were properly opened, then their referendum has already been held in the assembly elections, stated Pathania while exposing opposition on this front.

The intention behind opening these institutions was very clear by making such announcements, you wanted to form government again in the state, but fortunately after Kerala, Himachal Pradesh is  the most literate state and here people understood the intention behind the move. “At the hill state you could not cover up the financial mis management of five years and because of that these results came, stated the Fatehpur MLA, while referring to poll results.

He said that there was a reason behind closure of these institutions and laid two figures on the table of the house to make it clear. He said that state was in a worst position, which had highest debt GDP ratio as it borrowed 44 percent of state GDP.  Whereas the national average was 33 percent. “Besides, talking about loan projections, which will be about 55 pc within the next three years,” informed former banker turned MLA Pathania. Which means Himachal Pradesh will be the worst state  in the country. That is the condition at this point of time, he stated. “The state’s committed expenditure becomes zero, ” he claimed. Adding, ” I had taken the figures of committed expenditure from your own budget and it is 77 percent. Means if we have 77 percent committed expenditure and within next three years in your projection it is going to 87 percent: it will make Himachal Pradesh the worst state in terms of committed expenditure to its total revenue, ” he added.

Pathania said that when the head of a new government takes over the reins, first of all he has to think that; does he have enough money to run the government, develop the state and give a good future to the youth of the state. The belief on which we have been elected.

However after seeing the figures we have two options and that is to increase our revenue and reduce our expenditure. “I would like to say that our government under the leadership of  Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu is taking such a view,” added Pathania

These institutions that have been closed are not the final action. Rather, this is just a small way to increase revenue and reduce expenses. “After this some part of the plan would be visible in the budget and some part will be visible in the policy document,” he added.

“But what I mean to say is that these institutions have not been closed, but only restrictions have been placed on them. This ban has been imposed because perhaps our affordability has not been made at this time. A proper analysis is being done and wherever its viability is established. Will be reopened,” claimed Bhawani.