Back Gear Budget” taking Himachal backwards : BJP
BJP State President Dr. Rajeev Bindal reacted strongly to the 2026 budget presented by Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, calling it a “back-gear budget that will take Himachal Pradesh backwards.” He said that never before in the state’s history has a budget been presented that has cut thousands of crores of rupees compared to the previous year.
Dr. Bindal stated that the cut of approximately ₹4,000 crore will directly impact the state’s developmental plans and will affect development work in every sector. He alleged that the government has merely “stuffed the books” by linking the budgets of various sectors, such as fisheries, agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry, etc., with provisions from central government schemes, while actual state-level initiatives remain negligible.
He said that for the past three years, the Congress government has been busy criticizing the Modi government at the center, and the fourth budget was also launched with the same mindset. The truth is that most of the ongoing schemes in Himachal Pradesh are centrally sponsored, and the state’s development is progressing only with the support of the central government.
Dr. Bindal called the Congress’s 2022 guarantees “the biggest lie,” saying the government has completely failed to fulfill these promises. He said that the first cabinet promised 100,000 government jobs, but not a single one has been provided to date. The guarantee of ₹1,500 per month for 2.8 million women remains unfulfilled even after 40 months. Similarly, the government is misleading the public by reducing the milk purchase guarantee from ₹100 per liter to ₹60 per liter.
He said that the promise of creating 5 lakh jobs has remained confined to paper only. This budget has once again proved to be a “cruel joke” on the state’s youth, farmers and women.
Dr. Bindal further stated that the budget makes no concrete provisions for improving law and order, controlling the growing mafia rule, ensuring the availability of medicines in hospitals, or reopening closed institutions. Instead, the government has hinted at closing more institutions, which is a direct betrayal of the people of the state.
He said that this budget is merely a bundle of empty figures, lacking a clear direction for development and no concrete plan to provide relief to the public. The BJP opposes this anti-people budget and will continue to vigorously raise the issues of the state’s people.
“Budget cuts, debt burden – Congress has pushed Himachal into economic crisis”: Harsh Mahajan
Rajya Sabha MP Harsh Mahajan said the budget of ₹54,928 crore is less than last year’s ₹58,514 crore, which clearly indicates the state’s economy is shrinking. He said the government had to suspend employee salaries, admitting its financial failure.
He said that on one hand the government is withholding salaries, on the other hand, to hide its policy failures, the public is being misled by increasing small honorariums.
“This budget is not a document of development, but of financial bankruptcy”
“The lie of guarantees is repeated again – only announcements in the budget, zero on the ground”: Dr. Sikandar Kumar
Rajya Sabha MP Dr. Sikandar Kumar said that the government has again claimed to fulfill 100% guarantee, whereas not a single major guarantee has been fulfilled in 3 years.
He said that the suspension of 3% to 50% of the salaries of the employees is a proof that the economic condition of the state has become very bad.
“When the government itself is unable to pay salaries, how will it do development?”
“Farmers, youth and the poor – a budget that betrays everyone”: Suresh Kashyap
“MSP and schemes only on paper, no relief on the ground”
Lok Sabha MP Suresh Kashyap said that the government has announced to increase the MSP of milk and crops, but the farmers are not getting actual payment and market support.
He said that the announcement of providing 300 units of free electricity to 1 lakh poor families is also just an election stunt.
“Agriculture is full of announcements, but farmers’ fields are dry.”
“Debt, cuts and taxes – this is the Congress budget model”: Anurag Thakur
“Zero development, more propaganda – an attempt to mislead the public”
Lok Sabha MP Anurag Thakur said that the Congress government has pushed the state into a debt trap and now steps like salary suspension have to be taken.
He said that there is no concrete economic roadmap in the budget and the public is being misled only through announcements.
“This is not a budget, it is Congress’s ‘management of failure’”
“Budget of ₹54,928 crore, but priorities completely missing”: Dr. Rajiv Bhardwaj
“Pay suspension and a plethora of schemes – not policy, just window dressing”
Lok Sabha MP Dr. Rajiv Bhardwaj said that the government has withheld salaries in the name of financial discipline, but there is no clarity on expenditure priorities.
He said that withholding the salaries of employees and officers is the biggest example of the government’s failed economic policy.
“The government that demands sacrifices from the people is itself running away from accountability.”
“Announcements in the name of women and youth, but disappointment in reality”
Reaction: Kangana Ranaut
Lok Sabha MP Kangana Ranaut said that the government is talking about giving ₹1500 to women, but not a single promise has been fulfilled in three years.
He said that instead of providing employment to the youth, the government is only luring them in the name of training and allowances.
“This budget is not a symbol of hope, it is a symbol of despair and betrayal.”
