Congress Accuses BJP of Stalling Himachal’s Growth, Defend Welfare Push
Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. (Col.) Dhani Ram Shandil and Industries Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan on Monday launched a sharp attack on the BJP, describing its 2017-2022 tenure in Himachal Pradesh as a lost opportunity for development. The two ministers claimed that despite repeatedly promoting the concept of a “double-engine government,” the previous BJP regime failed to make any significant contribution to the state’s progress.
Responding to recent remarks by Union Health Minister and senior BJP leader J.P. Nadda, the ministers said his criticism of the state government’s financial management was politically motivated and ignored ground realities. They argued that such statements reflected growing frustration within the BJP as its support base in Himachal continued to weaken.
Highlighting the implementation of the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, the ministers said the Centre contributes 90 per cent of the scheme’s funding, while the state bears the remaining 10 per cent. However, they alleged that Himachal Pradesh has not received Rs. 112 crore due under the scheme between 2021 and 2026.
According to the ministers, nearly 2.85 lakh people have benefited from treatment under the scheme since the present government took office in 2023, with total expenditure reaching around Rs. 420 crore. While the state’s contribution under the funding formula should have been limited to about Rs. 60 crore, the government reportedly spent nearly Rs. 203 crore from its own resources to ensure uninterrupted healthcare services, placing public welfare above financial constraints.
The ministers said the government led by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu was committed to making Himachal Pradesh self-reliant and accused the BJP of creating obstacles to welfare-driven initiatives instead of supporting them.
They also expressed concern over delays in the release of central funds under the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission. While projects worth Rs. 360 crore, including Critical Care Blocks, District Integrated Public Health Laboratories, Urban Ayushman Arogya Mandirs and Block Public Health Units, have been sanctioned, a substantial portion of the funds is yet to reach the state. They said the delay has slowed the completion of key healthcare infrastructure projects and affected the delivery of health services.
The ministers maintained that timely release of pending central funds would help accelerate development works and ensure that public welfare projects are completed on schedule. They further claimed the current government has strengthened transparency and accountability while taking strict measures to curb corruption.
Drawing a comparison with the previous BJP government, they alleged that employee-related liabilities, including dearness allowance dues and Pay Commission arrears, remained unresolved during its tenure.
The ministers said that if the Centre had released its share of funding on time, nine Critical Care Blocks, 12 District Integrated Public Health Laboratories, 38 Urban Ayushman Arogya Mandirs and 73 Block Public Health Units now under construction could have been completed earlier, bringing healthcare facilities closer to people’s homes.
They further stated that when the Congress government assumed office in December 2022, Himachal Pradesh was already carrying a debt burden of nearly Rs. 75,000 crore along with employee-related liabilities of around Rs. 10,000 crore. Holding the previous BJP government responsible, they alleged that financial mismanagement and corruption had placed the state under significant fiscal pressure.
The ministers reiterated that despite these challenges, the present government remains focused on strengthening public services, expanding healthcare infrastructure and ensuring welfare schemes reach people across Himachal Pradesh.
