Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri blamed, “Financial mismanagement by previous BJP government, huge debt, reduction in plan size of the state , little help from the NDA government, reckless opening of large scale institutions before last Assembly election in the state for political gains , reckless expenditure on investors meet and exorbitant spending on Amrit Mahotsava programme organized by the previous government to celebrate 75 years of independence as some of the reasons for worsening economic condition of the state” .
Presenting a white paper on economy of the state in Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha on Thursday, the Deputy CM said, “Himachal Pradesh is one of the most debt ridden state of the country with huge debt burden of Rs 76630 crore and the state government had left debt burden of total RS 92774 crore with liabilities of Rs 10600 crore to be paid to state government employees and Rs 5546 crore to be paid as an interest.”
Blaming the NDA government for taking out Himachal from a special category state in 205-16, reduction in plan size, putting a limit on borrowing added woes of the state government and previous BJP government made no effort to generate resources.
The state government has been asking PFRDA to return Rs 9000 crore deposited by the state government under New Pension System after restoring OPS but is still to get back the money.
He said, “Though economic condition of the state is not good, the state government is trying to generate additional resources by imposing water cess on Hydro power companies, generating additional resources through new excise policy and by improving financial management.
