Naresh Chauhan on Wednesday responded sharply to recent remarks made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stating that repeated appeals to conserve fuel, reduce foreign travel, and avoid excessive gold purchases reflect concerns about a possible economic crisis in the country. He said the Prime Minister should clearly present the true economic situation before the people.
In a press statement issued from Shimla, Naresh Chauhan rejected claims regarding Himachal Pradesh’s financial condition and salary payments to government employees. He asserted that the state’s economy is steadily improving and there is no difficulty in disbursing salaries. He further alleged that India has become one of the world’s most indebted nations and said the Central Government must answer the public on the issue.
Criticizing the Centre, Chauhan said that if the Union Government is genuinely concerned about Himachal Pradesh, it should restore the discontinued Revenue Deficit Grant (RDG) and provide a special financial package to the state. He highlighted that the Congress government had implemented the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), benefiting nearly 1.36 lakh employees, and added that the Rs. 1500 monthly financial assistance scheme for women is being rolled out in phases.
On the upcoming municipal corporation elections, Chauhan claimed that the Congress party is receiving strong public support across all four municipal corporations. He said Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has already launched the campaign from Mandi and will continue campaigning in Palampur, Dharamshala, and Solan.
Highlighting the state government’s achievements during the last three-and-a-half years, Chauhan said several “historic and visionary” decisions have been taken to shape Himachal Pradesh’s future. Referring to reforms in the education sector, he described the introduction of English-medium education from Class 1 and linking around 150 schools with the CBSE curriculum as landmark initiatives aimed at strengthening students’ competitiveness at the national level.
Speaking about healthcare, he said projects worth Rs. 1750 crore are underway to modernize medical infrastructure with advanced machines and technology. The government, he added, is focusing on expanding robotic surgery facilities, advanced MRI services, and healthcare infrastructure in rural areas to reduce the need for patients to travel outside the state for treatment.
Chauhan also said the government has increased milk procurement prices by up to Rs. 20 per litre to strengthen the rural economy and improve the income of dairy farmers, especially women. He stated that reducing migration from villages remains one of the government’s primary goals.
Targeting the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Chauhan claimed the opposition lacks strong issues against the state government and accused it of misleading the public instead of focusing on welfare-oriented governance.
Referring to the NEET paper leak controversy, he termed the issue extremely serious and demanded immediate and strict action from the Central Government to protect the future of millions of students.
Nurturing Creativity – Keekli Charitable Trust, Shimla
