CM Leading ‘Fee Government’, Not ‘Relief Government’: Jairam

Shimla, June 6, 2025 – Former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur has launched a sharp attack on the state government, accusing it of hiking charges while cutting down on public facilities. He said that while the government continues to impose new fees daily, essential commodities like refined oil and pulses are either missing from fair-price depots or have become unaffordable.

Thakur pointed out that refined oil previously available at ₹97 is now priced at ₹134—a 38% increase. He condemned this as a betrayal of common people and said the government has no sensitivity toward their struggles. “The government is not just slashing quantities of ration in depots but is also increasing their prices—this is unacceptable,” he stated.

He further accused Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu of misleading the public. “The CM says there is no fee on hospital slips or Churdhar pilgrimage tax, but the public is paying these charges. Only after public outrage did the government quietly withdraw these notifications,” he alleged.

On a positive note, Thakur expressed gratitude to the central government for approving over 1,500 km of rural roads under PMGSY Phase IV in Himachal Pradesh, including 32 roads in his constituency of Seraj. He also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for fulfilling the dream of connecting Kashmir with the rest of India via rail, hailing the Chenab Bridge and Anji Khad Bridge as engineering marvels and symbols of ‘Modi Ki Guarantee’.