Shimla: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Thursday said the government was moving ahead to make the state self-reliant and tough decisions would be taken in this direction.
Speaking in the state assembly after the four-day debate on the 2024-25 budget, he said the state's economy was getting back on track due to decisions taken by the state government in the past 14 months.
Now, it is time to take harsh decisions and make laws, Sukhu said, adding the general public may face some problems for sometime but the results would be positive.
As the chief minister accused the BJP of playing politics during the monsoon disaster, the opposition members started raising slogans and staged a walkout.
Sukhu said that the government was sensitive about the candidates who appeared in recruitment examination for the junior office assistant (information technology) and appointment letters would be issued after examining the legal aspects.
He blamed the previous BJP government for delay in declaration of results.
Asserting that the government was taking care of interest of employees, Sukhu said the demand of restoration of Old Pension Scheme was fulfilled in the first meeting of the cabinet and the arrears of leave encashment and gratuity would be given in phases from March 2024.
Earlier, noisy scene was witnessed in the House during the discussion on the budget as ruling and opposition members exchanged barbs.
The ruling Congress members accused the Centre of discriminating against Himachal during the monsoon disaster while the BJP members alleged false announcements have been made in the budget.
Participating in the discussion, Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi attacked the Union government over alleged discrimination against non-BJP-ruled states and said that public representatives from Kerala and Karnataka had to raise their voice at Jantar Mantar in Delhi for their rights.
It appears that the Himachal government would also be compelled to go to Jantar Mantar for its rights, he said, adding that the Central government has scrapped the Planning Commission which served as link between the states and the Centre, causing huge financial loss to Himachal.
Speaking during the discussion, Satpal Singh Satti (BJP) praised Himachal minister Vikramaditya Singh for participating in 'Pran Pratistha' ceremony at the Ram temple in Ayodhya and also lauded his father and former chief minister Virbhadra Singh for setting an example by making the anti-conversion law.
He demanded simplification of rules for employment on compassionate grounds and payment of arrears to the employees and pensioners in one go.
Hoshiyar Singh (Independent) objected to raising revenue through sale of liquor and urged the government to take stringent steps to recover the money of people lost due to crypto currency.
BJP's Pawan Kajal said that the people displaced due to extension of Kangra Airport are not getting adequate compensation and the amount was so less that they would not be able to buy a suitable land. He said that he shifted from the Congress to the BJP because of false guarantees of the ruling party.
Raghuvir Singh Bali (Congress) said a number of steps were taken to develop Kangra as tourism capital of the state and the government was working on construction of heliports.
Sunder Singh, Chief Parliamentary Secretary, accused the Central government of discriminating against Himachal during the disaster and said that neither any BJP legislator raised the issue of relief with the prime minister nor the PM visited the state to share the pain of the people.