HimVani
Shimla (Mar 4): Himachal Pradesh Congress president Kaul Singh Thakur today stated that incumbent government in the state has failed to maintain important roads, which are in a depilated condition despite road being top priority for the government.
Taking part in a debate over the Governor’s address in the state Assembly soon after Question Hour, Thakur said that state public works minister Gulab Singh Thakur had recently stated that the department lacks sufficient funds to maintain and repair the roads. He claimed that recently when the Chief Minister visited upper Shimla he had to take a different road because the road assigned for his visit was hit by jams and landslides. He noted that the condition roads in the minister’s own constituency, Joginernagar, was not good.
He also charged that the controller of examination (COE) in Himachal Pradesh University has been appointed by ignoring eligibility and merit conditions. He said that land and liquor mafia was thriving in the state and private education institutions were also being allowed to operate without any checks. He said that law and order situations was not very good in the state as the Dhumal government was victimizing Congress activities and workers. The HPCC president lashed out at the government for using central funds and enshrining schemes run on them in the name of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee. He said that only development works visible in the state are because of central-sponsored and funded schemes. He said that the IIT, ESI medical college, Central university and the national fashion institute could be started due to Centre’s initiative.
Intervening over this remarks, CM Prem Kumar Dhumal said that the ESI medical college was given to the state due to his good personal relation and rapport with Oscar Fernandes and central leaders when he time to time raised the matter with them. He said the Union government has been giving similar IITs and Central universities to other states as well. Dhumal criticised the Centre alleging that despite repeated appeal by the state the industrial package to the state was not extended.
He denied the accusations levelled by Thakur that state never thanked Union government for giving liberal assistance to the state. Dhumal said that whenever the Union government has done anything exceptional to the state, it has thanked the government of India time to time.
