'Development Halted Despite Massive Loans': Jairam Thakur

SHIMLA, Aug. 6: Former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister and Leader of the Opposition Jairam Thakur on Thursday accused the Congress government led by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu of pushing the state into a deep financial crisis through excessive borrowing and failing to deliver on its poll promises.

Speaking during a television programme in Shimla, Thakur claimed that all governments in Himachal Pradesh from Independence until 2022 had collectively borrowed around ₹69,500 crore, while the present Congress government had taken loans worth ₹45,000 crore in nearly four years. He alleged that if the government completed its full term, the borrowing figure could exceed ₹60,000 crore.

Questioning the utilisation of the borrowed funds, Thakur alleged that despite the rising debt, development activities had slowed and nearly 2,000 public institutions opened during the previous BJP government had either been closed or their functioning curtailed.

The Leader of the Opposition also accused the Congress government of failing to fulfil its election guarantees, alleging that none of the promises had been implemented effectively. Instead of introducing new welfare initiatives, he claimed, the government had discontinued or withheld funding for several schemes launched by the previous BJP administration.

On the political front, Thakur said the BJP had consistently opposed what it termed “anti-people decisions” of the government both inside and outside the Assembly. Rejecting reports of factionalism within the BJP, he asserted that the party remained united, while alleging that internal divisions within the Congress had become evident in recent urban local body and Panchayati Raj elections.

Highlighting the condition of healthcare services, Thakur alleged that patients at Dr. Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College, Tanda, were being given appointments nearly a year later for certain ear surgeries due to a shortage of equipment, while patients at Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC), Shimla, were waiting up to a month for MRI scans. He said the situation reflected shortcomings in the state’s public healthcare system despite the government’s claims of improving medical infrastructure.

The Congress government had not issued an immediate response to the allegations at the time of filing this report.