Former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur has strongly criticised the incumbent state government for its decision to implement the Mukhya Mantri Apna Parivar Sukhi Parivar Yojana, which offers financial assistance and free electricity to women. Thakur, who is also the Leader of the Opposition, voiced his concerns during a press conference held in Shimla.
Information was available with The Chenab Times that Thakur stated the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), if returned to power, would re-evaluate all decisions made by the present administration during its final year in office, alongside its electoral promises. He asserted that the Congress party had assumed office in Himachal Pradesh in 2022 on the foundation of unfulfilled promises, and despite being in power for approximately four years, had failed to deliver on these pledges.
Thakur remarked that the Chief Minister, Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, appeared to have remembered the women of Himachal Pradesh and the commitments made to them before the previous Assembly elections only after the Congress party faced a significant defeat in the recent elections for Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and Urban Local Bodies (ULBs).
He raised questions about the government’s rationale for limiting the scope of the proposed scheme, noting that Himachal Pradesh has over 18 lakh families. Thakur highlighted that the Congress had initially pledged a monthly sum of ₹1,500 to all women between the ages of 18 and 59 years, a decision expected to be taken in the government’s inaugural Cabinet meeting, without any mention of income ceilings or eligibility criteria at that time. He pointed out that while approximately 28 lakh women in the state fall within this age bracket, the current government has restricted the benefit to only 3.50 lakh eligible women.
The former Chief Minister further alleged that no explicit budgetary provision had been allocated for the scheme in the current financial year. He questioned the government’s financial strategy for implementing the scheme and sought clarification on the budget head under which payments would be disbursed.
Thakur also addressed the promise of 300 units of free electricity. He recalled that the preceding BJP administration had introduced 125 units of free power after conducting an assessment of the average electricity consumption patterns of ordinary and middle-class households.
“In 2022, the Congress had promised 300 units of free electricity to every household but failed to fulfil the guarantee during its tenure,” Thakur stated. “Instead, the government introduced eligibility restrictions that curtailed the benefits available under the earlier 125-unit free electricity scheme. Now, it is announcing 300 units of free electricity for a limited number of eligible families while projecting it as fulfilment of the original guarantee.”
Looking ahead to the upcoming winter session of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly in Dharamsala, Thakur indicated that the BJP would bring forth several critical issues for discussion. These include concerns over the escalating drug menace and allegations of corruption within the state administration. He expressed his expectation that the Chief Minister would provide substantive responses to the queries posed by the Opposition during the session.
The Chenab Times News Desk
