Shimla: Himachal Pradesh legislative assembly on Wednesday passed a resolution against the discontinuation of the revenue deficit grant (RDG), based on the recommendations of the 16th Finance Commission.The resolution, moved by the state govt under Rule 102, will now be sent to the central govt seeking continuation of the grant.The resolution was passed by voice vote despite opposition from 28 BJP legislators in the 68-member House. The opposition benches declined to support the motion, leading to noisy scenes and sloganeering on the final day of the first phase of the budget session.The resolution was passed after chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu delivered a detailed reply following three days of discussion on the issue.The House was later adjourned by speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania until 11 am on March 18, when the second phase of the budget session will commence.According to the resolution, Himachal Pradesh was receiving RDG under Articles 275 and 280 of the Constitution from the 5th to the 15th Finance Commission. However, following the recommendations of the 16th Finance Commission, the grant was discontinued from the upcoming financial year. The state govt warned that the move could push the hill state into a financial crisis, given its challenging terrain and limited revenue-generation capacity.During the debate, BJP members led by leader of the opposition Jai Ram Thakur accused the ruling Congress govt of politicising the issue instead of safeguarding the state’s interests and indulging in fiscal mismanagement. The heated exchanges led to disruptions and an adjournment, with protests spilling outside the assembly premises as well.Later, the Congress legislators, led by the CM, also raised slogans outside the House against the BJP for not backing the resolution to protect the state’s constitutional rights.Sukhu also announced that he and his cabinet colleagues would be travelling to Delhi to meet the party high command and discuss the issue threadbare. The CM further said he had already sought an appointment with the Prime Minister, requesting personal intervention to resolve the matter.Meanwhile, the speaker highlighted that the first phase of the budget session recorded 124% productivity. Over three sittings lasting 18 hours and 24 minutes, the govt responded to 34 questions, including 24 starred and 10 unstarred queries. Ten issues were also raised during Zero Hour and addressed by the ministers concerned, he added.Earlier in the day, revenue minister Jagat Singh Negi said the 16th Finance Commission was a threat to the country’s unity and integrity as it acted as a “puppet” of the BJP-led Centre in discontinuing the crucial RDG to states, including Himachal Pradesh.Raising the issue during a debate on a govt resolution condemning the move, Negi questioned whether the BJP intended to divide the country again and make Himachal a Union Territory, as was done with Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.He accused the Centre of choking funds to Himachal Pradesh, pointing out that the state was still awaiting Rs 1,500 crore in monsoon disaster relief announced by the Prime Minister last year. He emphasised that the central govt was obligated to provide grants to states lacking sufficient revenue resources.Addressing the opposition BJP MLAs, Negi urged them to defend the state’s right to RDG, adding that if they oppose it, they would be acting against Himachal’s interests. He also noted that the friction between the Centre and the state arose because Himachal was governed by the Congress, while the Centre was led by the BJP. ‘Misleading Claims’BJP legislator from Karsog, Deep Raj, accused the state govt of “sensationalising” the RDG issue by twisting facts after its own fiscal mismanagement. He said the finance secretary had warned that scrapping the RDG would stall state projects and schemes and delay payment of dearness allowance and arrears to employees. However, days later, the CM clarified that no work would be halted. He alleged that Sukhu spread misleading claims in election-bound states and abroad, asserting Himachal would become the richest state by 2032. With RDG’s discontinuation, he argued, the truth about the state’s finances was exposed.
