Shimla: Three guarantees fulfilled in a single 12 months, three extra to go in one other 12 months, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has stated. However is the Congress authorities ready to honour its ballot guarantees, particularly the a lot publicised monetary help of Rs 1,500 to all ladies above the age of 18?
Final week, Himachal Pradesh Agriculture Minister Chander Kumar met Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and apprised her concerning the selections of the federal government to supply the assured sum below the Indira Gandhi Mahila Samman Nidhi to ladies from January.
As Sukhu heads the one Congress authorities within the Hindi heartland after the December meeting outcomes, the Bharatiya Janata Occasion (BJP) is now upping the ante to nook his authorities over implementation of 10 ballot guarantees.
On Monday, Sukhu addressed a operate to mark one-year of his authorities during which he assured ladies of implementing the occasion’s promise in a phased method. “We will fulfil all the guarantees within five years of our tenure. We have fulfilled some of the assurances and depending upon The state’s fiscal health will meet other assurances too,” Sukhu stated. “Despite the tight fiscal situation, we fulfilled three guarantees: Old Pension Scheme, startup fund for youth and English medium schools.”
For aiding the unemployed youth, the Himachal authorities has launched an e-taxi scheme below the primary section of Rs 680 crore Rajiv Gandhi self-employment start-up scheme. English as a educating medium will probably be launched in all major colleges for Class 1 and a couple of from the subsequent session. Each selections have been made in November.
As for the pension promise, Sukhu himself had stated that the Previous Pension Scheme (OPS) would value the state about Rs 800 crore to Rs 900 crore within the 12 months 2023. The affect of this resolution, which advantages 1.36 lakh staff, on the exchequer will probably be identified within the subsequent few years.
A minimum of two Congress functionaries, together with an MLA and a Cupboard minister, conceded the urgent have to disburse the promised sum to ladies after the December election outcomes.
“Though the State’s financial health is not good and the Centre has been non-cooperative throughout the bad phase, still we have to do something about guarantees. At least we should go ahead in a phased manner to implement the assurance of Rs 1,500 per woman per month,” a Himachal cupboard minister informed ThePrint.
An MLA, from Kangra district, informed ThePrint: “After the recent loss in three states, we need to do something in Himachal. BJP is making these guarantees an issue especially after we lost in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. If we fulfill the Rs 1,500 assurance, we can counter the BJP’s narrative. Because this assurance is related to the biggest section of society.”
Additionally Learn: Six months in, Sukhu-led Congress govt in Himachal faces a grim fiscal outlook
Too tall a promise to ship?
Quickly after the Congress authorities was fashioned in December 2022, it enhanced the pension of greater than 2.31 lakh ladies to Rs 1,500, who earlier have been getting Rs 1,000 and Rs 1,150, from 1 April this 12 months.
Then in Could, the Sukhu authorities introduced Rs 1,500 to all ladies of Spiti Block of Lahaul Spiti district however they’re but to get the promised sum.
“Our government has enhanced the financial assistance of 2.31 lakh women, who were already getting some amount. We are committed to fulfilling our guarantees and this is just the beginning,” Himachal Pradesh Social Justice Minister Dhani Ram Shandil informed ThePrint.
An official of the social justice division stated that there are greater than 22 lakh ladies as per the 2011 Census. A method was mentioned to provide the help solely to ladies of the 18-25 age bracket and household’s annual earnings beneath Rs 75,000. “It would make 2.25 lakh women eligible for the aid and the state has to spend Rs 411 crore,” the official stated.
One other method below deliberation was the ‘one family, one women’ system. “Still more than 8 lakh women will get the aid and the budget requirement is around Rs 1,500 crore,” the official stated.
If the federal government fulfils its Rs 1,500 monetary assurance benefiting 8 lakh ladies in letter and spirit, the state wants Rs 4,000 crore each year, a finance division official stated.
The goal turns into all of the extra daunting on condition that Himachal Pradesh has a whopping debt of Rs 75,000 crore in addition to liabilities of Rs 11,000 crore arising from cost of arrears of revised pay scales and dearness allowance.
Himachal spends virtually one-fourth of its finances on salaries. Of each Rs 100 it spends, in keeping with the finances doc, ₹26 is on wage, ₹16 on pension, ₹10 on curiosity cost, ₹10 on mortgage reimbursement, ₹9 on grants to autonomous establishments and the remaining ₹29 on different actions.
A monetary division official informed ThePrint that Himachal has availed of Rs 1,800 crore mortgage thus far towards the restrict of round Rs 4,000 crore.
Himachal Pradesh Mahila Congress president Jainab Chandel stated that it was unethical to speak about such points when the state is confronted with an unprecedented catastrophe.
“The BJP government should help Himachal Pradesh. It is the second home of PM Modi, former prime minister Ataj Bihari Vajpayee. The state is left in the lurch with no aid from the Centre. Instead of indulging in politics, BJP leaders should appeal to the central government to help Himachal financially. As far as the assurance of Rs1,500 to every woman is concerned, we have started giving it to 2.32 lakh women and the government is fulfilling the promise for sure. But BJP should also tell people about the Rs 15 lakh promise made by the PM,” she informed ThePrint.
However BJP Mahila Morcha’s nationwide normal secretary Indu Goswami alleged that the Congress was conscious of the state’s funds when it promised monetary support to ladies. “Had the Congress government fulfilled the promise, women at least would have support, especially during these days of disaster. Congress made tall promises just to win the election. Now, they are clueless and blaming, passing the buck on the central government,” the Rajya Sabha MP informed ThePrint.
Understandably, BJP nationwide president J.P. Nadda took a potshot on the Sukhu authorities for not implementing its guarantees together with 4 English-medium colleges in every meeting section, incentives to ladies, technology of 5 lakh jobs, and 300 models of free electrical energy amongst others.
Explaining why the monetary incentive to ladies is way talked about within the political circle, political analyst M.P.S Rana informed ThePrint that the Congress occasion had shocked BJP by saying the freebie final 12 months.
“This was a big assurance in terms of the number of women voters as well as the budgetary requirements. The Congress kept its campaign focused on guarantees, especially stressing upon the Old Pension Scheme and financial aid to women. Congress candidates and workers even filled out forms for women during poll campaigns. BJP had sensed its impact and complained to the Election Commission,” Raina informed ThePrint.
How the Sukhu authorities offers with it’s a matter to look at because the state authorities has estimated a lack of about Rs 10,000 crore brought on by the rains, he stated. “This is the government’s biggest challenge.”
At Kullu’s Sainj village the place the floods brought about large devastation, Seeta Devi asserted that the state authorities ought to fulfill its guarantees. Devi’s home was partially broken within the floods in July.
“Bahut si mahilaaon ne haath ko vote diya. Main to padi likhi nahin hoon lekin suna hai ab bol rahe hain ki sabko nahin milenge. de diye hote to aaj kuch sahara hota. (Many women voted for Congress. I am illiterate but I heard that all women will not get the aid. Had the government given the amount, it would have been a support today),” she informed ThePrint.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
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