By IANS,
Shimla : Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) general secretary and Himachal Pradesh legislator J.P. Nadda Wednesday accused the central government of discriminating against the state in allocating funds.
Participating in the debate on the state’s budget for 2011-12 in the state assembly, Nadda demanded a special bailout out package of Rs.2,500 crore for the state.
“The 13th Finance Commission has discriminated against the state by not increasing the state plan size for 2010-11 as in the case of other states,” he said.
Nadda sought the help of the opposition Congress to take up the cause with the union government.
A former state forest minister, Nadda also took a dig at the union government for not extending the special industrial package that expired March 31, 2010.
The state was originally granted the industrial package for 10 years from 2003 by the then Atal Bihari Vajpayee government. However, it was later curtailed to March 2010.
“The curtailment of the industrial package has adversely affected the industrial growth in the state,” Nadda added.
He said the state was also expecting a timely start of the Bilaspur-Manali-Leh railway line as it was strategically important for defence.
The BJP leader also slammed the union government over the rotting of foodgrains worth for Rs.5,800 crore in the Food Corporation of India godown.
“Despite the Supreme Court intervention, the government sold the rotten foodgrains to breweries at a rate of 62 paise per kg,” he alleged.