Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], March 19 : Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Thursday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of levelling "baseless allegations" and asked the opposition to substantiate its claims with evidence on the floor of the House.
Sukhu also raised concerns over the shortage of commercial LPG cylinders in the state, saying the issue has begun to impact the tourism sector.
"There is a shortage of commercial LPG, and we will take up the matter with the Centre. The shortage is affecting tourism business," he said.
Speaking to reporters on the fifth day of the ongoing Budget Session of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly, Sukhu said, "The BJP is making allegations without facts. If they have any evidence, it should be placed on the table of the Assembly ."
The Chief Minister's remarks came amid intensifying political exchanges during the session, where the BJP has been targeting the government over alleged 'mafia rule' in the state.
Welcoming the resumption of trade with Tibet through the Shipki-La route, Sukhu expressed optimism over its economic potential. "We made consistent efforts to restart trade through Shipki-La. As a result, around 50,000 tourists have visited Kinnaur, which is benefiting the state's tourism sector," he said.
Referring to the supplementary budget presented in the House, the Chief Minister said the government is focused on systemic transformation and ensuring sustained investment in key sectors. "The state government is bringing about a system change. We are investing in major projects, and new projects are being started only with 30 per cent assured funding. We will not allow any shortage of budget in education and health sectors," Sukhu said.
He also reiterated that the discontinuation of the Revenue Deficit Grant (RDG) has adversely affected the state's finances.
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