Terming the annual Himachal Pradesh budget as 'pro-people', Health and Revenue Minister Kaul Singh Thakur today said the Opposition's criticism of the budget was uncalled for and baseless.
Singh accused the Opposition of unnecessarily criticising the budget to confuse the people and said "I did not find any part of Chief Minister's budget speech irrelevant as alleged by the BJP members."
The minister asked BJP members to do some introspection and play the role of a constructive opposition.
Maintaining that the BJP had no reason to criticise the government for changing the names of the schemes and said that it was them who started the practise of renaming schemes during its tenure.
The Minister also credit for its government for opening Indian Institute of Technology and ESI Medical College and said that the first session of Rs 800 crore ESI Medical College would commence from next financial year.
He also praised Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh for making a provision of Rs two lakh for discretionary fund of MLAs and the announcement to fill 500 posts of Patwaris.
The minister pointed out that the ousted BJP government did not take any action to fill the vacant posts in the state revenue department and as a result 525 posts were left vacant.
Thakur assured that the state government would probe the alleged irregularities and scams during the previous BJP rule, adding that the CM has announced to restart the 149 schools closed during BJP rule.
The financial position of Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board has further worsened due to mismanagement during the BJP rule, the minister alleged.
However, Rikhi Ram Kaundal of BJP accused the Congress government for wreaking political vendetta against opponents and asked them to concentrate on developmental works.
BJP members, Ravinder Singh Ravi, Rajiv Sahijal, Govind Thakur, Vikram Singh, K L Thakur and Congress members Mansa Ram, Rakesh Kalia, Rohit Thakur, Sohan Lal, Sanjay Rattan and Khub Ram were among those who participated in the debate in the Legislative Assembly.
