Sudhir Sharma Accuses Congress Government of Pushing Himachal Towards Economic Ruin

Dharamshala: Former minister and current Dharamshala MLA Sudhir Sharma launched a sharp attack on the Sukhu-led Congress government, accusing it of plunging the state’s economy into a quagmire of debt, deficits, and mismanagement. He claimed that the government is now attempting to cover up its failures by making false and misleading allegations against the 16th Finance Commission and the central government.

Sharma emphasized that the Congress government must understand that revenue deficit grants were neither charity nor a permanent arrangement. These were temporary measures provided by the 15th Finance Commission to help state governments stabilize their finances, but he alleged that the Congress administration squandered this opportunity through wasteful spending, loot, and appeasement.

He added that the 16th Finance Commission clearly noted that states which had received RDGs for years neither made honest efforts to increase tax collection nor controlled government expenditures, with Himachal Pradesh being a prime example.

Sharma further criticized the government for not informing the public that under the 16th Finance Commission’s new framework, Himachal Pradesh’s share of central taxes has actually increased. Yet, he argued, the government still claims to lack funds for salaries, pensions, and development, highlighting its lack of financial management expertise.

He accused the Congress government of jeopardizing the future of state employees and pensioners. According to him, the crisis in salaries and pensions is a result of the government’s policy failures, not the central government. While neighboring Uttarakhand has demonstrated financial discipline despite limited resources, Sharma claimed that Himachal under Congress has become a “debt-on-debt factory.”

He warned that the era of freebies and uncontrolled spending is over, as indicated by the Finance Commission. Yet, the Congress government continues to blame the Centre instead of undertaking reforms. Sharma concluded that the people of Himachal are now fully aware of the government’s economic mismanagement, hollow promises, and false allegations. He said, “The Congress government must accept its failures; excuses will no longer work.”