Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], February 6 (ANI): Ahead of the two-day planning conferences on MLAs’ growth priorities for the monetary 12 months 2026-27, which start on Friday, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators from the opposition reached Raj Bhavan and submitted a memorandum to Himachal Pradesh Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla, protesting the alleged non-release of MLAs’ Constituency Development Fund (MLACDF), withholding of discretionary grants, and delays in processing growth priorities submitted by opposition legislators.
Leader of the Opposition Jai Ram Thakur, chatting with the media after assembly the Governor, stated that BJP legislators raised severe issues relating to the non-release of MLACDF, discretionary funds and the pendency of growth priorities submitted by opposition MLAs.
‘The state authorities has not launched the MLAs’ Constituency Development Fund since October 2025. As a outcome, legislators are going through severe difficulties in fulfilling the event commitments made to folks of their respective constituencies,’ Thakur stated.
He additional said that Himachal Pradesh has suffered heavy losses attributable to pure disasters over the previous 12 months, making the well timed launch of MLA funds essential for growth, reduction and restoration works. ‘Despite budgetary provisions, the federal government has launched solely half of the funds and withheld the remaining quantity,’ he alleged.
Thakur additional stated that discretionary funds of MLAs had been additionally not being launched on time, which was affecting speedy help to the poor, the sick and disaster-affected folks. ‘This can be impacting the credibility of elected representatives,’ he added.
The Leader of the Opposition stated that it has been a long-standing custom in Himachal Pradesh to hunt growth priorities from MLAs, that are recorded within the Public Works Department and the Jal Shakti Department. ‘However, for the previous three years, no Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) have been ready for the priorities submitted by opposition MLAs, nor have these been despatched to NABARD for approval. This goes in opposition to democratic norms and the spirit of balanced growth,’ Thakur stated.
He identified that solely two instalments of the MLA fund–Rs 55 lakh each–have been launched to this point, whereas the remaining quantity has been withheld. The BJP Legislature Party has urged the Governor to direct the state authorities to instantly launch the MLACDF and discretionary funds and to arrange DPRs for the event priorities of opposition MLAs and ahead them to NABARD to make sure balanced growth throughout all areas.
On the particular session of the Assembly being referred to as by the federal government on the Revenue Deficit Grant (RDG) challenge, Thakur stated a Budget Session was already due, and subsequently, there was no want for a separate particular session. ‘However, if the federal government convenes a particular session on RDG, the opposition will take part in it and strongly current its stand,’ he stated. (ANI)