The Congress government’s freebie program has yet again backfired in Himachal Pradesh. On 29th January, a notification outlining the guidelines for temple trusts to contribute funds to the cash-strapped administration’s initiatives has now surfaced recently. Temples have been reportedly urged by the government to contribute to the Mukhyamantri Sukh-Aashray Yojana and Mukhyamantri Sukh Shiksha Yojna.
The official notice directed, “The various temple trusts functioning under the Himachal Pradesh Hindu Public Religious Institutions Charitable Endowments Act, 1984 keep making contributions for charitable activities and welfare scheme run by the state government. While making such charitable contribution the temple trusts may make contribution towards the Mukhya Mantri Sukh Ashray Yojna/Kosh as well as Mukhya Mantri Sukh Shiksha Yojna/Kosh with a view to provide fund for the above mentioned welfare schemes.”
It then listed the rules for the same and highlighted, “Every such proposal should first be passed by the trust in its meeting. Section 17 of the act ibid (same act) provides incurring expenditure on such activities, therefore, the provisions of section 17 and 17 (a) to (d) may strictly be adhered to. In all above cases the prior approval of the Chief Commissioner Temple must be taken by sending a case through Additional Chief Commissioner (Temple)-cum-Director, Language, Art & Culture.”
According to the notification, the Mukhya Mantri Sukh Ashray Scheme was introduced by the Himachal Pradesh government’s Social Justice and Empowerment Department on 28th February 2023 to offer better opportunities to older people, single and impoverished women and children, especially orphans.
“These groups are generally isolated, neglected vulnerable and they are in need of care and protection. The role of the state government in respect of such persons is that of a foster parent and to provide their subsistence and to integrate them into the main stream of society,” it read.
The notice claimed, “Taking its commitment and concern further for fostering equality and ensuring the holistic development of Women and Children in the state, the government of Himachal Pradesh in Social Justice and Empower Department has notified Mukhya Mantri Sukh Shiksha Yojna vide notification no. SJE-A-F(4)-1/2024, dated 03-09-2024.”
It added that the program’s primary goals are to strengthen family-level child protection, prevent child abuse, trafficking, teen marriages, drug abuse and other forms of child exploitation as well as to create an environment that is sensitive, supportive and aids vulnerable women and children in the state become self-sufficient. It also aims to create an environment that allows vulnerable women and children to live with dignity by addressing their nutritional, health and educational needs.
Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party has responded to the government’s claim that it complied with the legal provisions by accusing Congress of disparaging Sanatan Dharma while also requesting donations from temples for the initiatives. “On one hand, the Sukhu government opposes Sanatan Dharma, keeps giving anti-Hindu statements and on the other hand, it wants to run the government’s flagship schemes by taking money from temples. The government is demanding money from temples, and pressure is being put on officials to send the money to the government. The Bharatiya Janata Party opposes this decision of the government” BJP leader Jairam Thakur charged.
He added, “A secretary of the Himachal Pradesh government department has written a letter to the deputy commissioner that the money in temple trusts should be deposited in the government treasury so that they can spend that money to run government schemes. This is sad and unfortunate. No government has ever taken money from temples and trusts to spend it on government schemes.”
“They have not only given orders to take money from temple trusts, they are also taking follow-ups. This decision should be opposed. The people who are in the temple, the trusts and committees, should also protest. The Vidhan Sabha session is also going to start on the 10th and we will strongly oppose this inside and outside the Vidhan Sabha,” the MLA assured.
Himachal Pradesh’s economic doom under Congress-rule
Notably, the Himachal Pradesh government recently planned to lease the century-old Hotel Wildflower Hall and approved the hiring of a consulting firm to facilitate the leasing of the property in a cabinet meeting to help in revenue generation for the state facing fiscal constraints. In November 2024, the state chose to address the state’s developmental needs by issuing an additional Rs 500 crore loan, which was part of its Rs 6,300 crore borrowing ceiling that was scheduled to expire in December.
The Himachal Pradesh government’s severe financial crisis prevented it from paying its employees and pensioners in last August which affected 391,000 individuals. The Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha approved an amendment bill in September 2024 to impose a milk tax of 10 paise per unit and an environment tax on energy use that varied from 2 paise to Rs 6 per unit. The average citizen was already burdened by the administration’s decision to remove 125 units of free power, hike the price of diesel by Rs 7 per litre and break its election commitment to give customers 300 units of free power.
Additionally, the Sukhu government raised the cost of tap water in rural areas from Rs 10 to Rs 100. On the other hand, its decision to impose a cess on hydro projects in order to raise an estimated Rs 4,000 crore was seen as regressive. The government even contemplated legalizing the cultivation of cannabis for medical and industrial purposes in an attempt to address its economic woes.
According to estimates, Himachal Pradesh’s debt to gross state product ratio was 43% during the preceding fiscal year. It was already comparable to a state like Punjab, which had switched to the previous pension plan and was at 53%. Its budget deficit was already at almost 5%, far greater than the prudential threshold of 3%. . Similar to Karnataka, general public and now even Hindu temples are forced to cope with the party’s myopic ans self-serving decisions.
