Former CM, BJP leader Shanta Kumar back-pats Sukhu govt for levy of water cess on HPPs
Shimla, Mar 16
BJP stalwart and Former Himachal Pradesh Chief minister Shanta Kumar again rattled his own party leaders by showering words of praise for three months old Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu government of this hill state. The good words from the senior BJP leader were pertaining to the levy of water cess on Hydropower generation.
This morning, the bill to impose water cess was passed unanimously in the state assembly. The bill is being stated as a farsighted move to push up the revenue of the state. The government claims that it would fetch them Rs. 4000 crore additional revenue. Moreover this cess would add no extra burden for the consumers.
Veteran BJP leader and former Union Minister Shanta Kumar who has criticised Narendra Modi government on several occasions in the past took Social media to hail the Congress government of Himachal for bringing the power projects under the ambit of water Cess on the line of BJP rule states.
However, the BJP state unit have taken another course on this issue, as they have criticised the move, alleging that it would ultimately impact the common man.
On the contrary, Shanta Kumar said that the State would get an annual income of Rs 4k Cr. from it and there would be no burden on consumers. Shanta Kumar said, “While being the Chief Minister of this hill state, I had made the decision to take 12 pc free electricity as royalty in hydropower projects built in Himachal.
He also lauded Congress government for ordering doctors in state-run institutions to prescribe only generic medicines to patients.
Former Chief minister said, “The health minister has announced that every doctor in Himachal Pradesh would prescribe only generic medicines. As the chairman of the standing committee in the Lok Sabha, I had done a deep study on this subject for the committee had suggested to the Government that India’s generic medicine is low priced, of good quality, but the common man do not get it because doctors prescribe only branded medicines due to higher commission,” he added. “I am happy but also skeptical, as many states have made such announcements in the past but never implemented them. If Himachal implements the decision, it will be a great service of the Sukhu rule and it is only then that I will congratulate them,” BJP stalwart mentioned.
However he criticized the government for closing down the offices and institutions opened by the previous government and said it was done in a haste.” These institutions were opened in a hurry without planning by the previous government and the new government showed similar hurry in closing them down,” he argued.
Kumar, who is known for calling ‘a spade, a spade’ said that it was appropriate to close a school where there were no children, but it was illogical to shut the school where students had enrolled and teachers had joined or a hospital where a doctor had been posted and common public was getting services
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