Congress Blamed for Rising Costs and Stalled Welfare Schemes in Himachal

October 13, Nahan – Bharatiya Janata Party leader Rajiv Bindal used a rally in the Nahan assembly segment to level serious accusations against the Congress administration of Himachal Pradesh, which has been in power for nearly four years under Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu.

Bindal asserted that the government has overseen a surge in the cost of essential commodities, including diesel, cement, electricity and public transport, all of which have placed added pressure on households. He linked these price hikes to policy decisions that, in his view, prioritize revenue generation over citizen welfare.

The opposition figure also criticized the handling of several welfare initiatives. He said the distribution of school uniforms, the Himcare health benefits programme and the Sahara financial aid scheme have been fraught with shortcomings, leaving beneficiaries without the promised support.

According to Bindal, the state has accumulated approximately ₹45,000 crore in debt during the Congress tenure, yet there has been little progress in restoring fiscal health. He cited the shutdown or reduced functioning of educational institutions, health centers, veterinary clinics, sub‑tehsils and patwar circles as evidence of a governance model focused on tax extraction and political appointments rather than development.

A prominent point of contention was the delayed disbursement of the promised ₹1,500 monthly assistance for women. Bindal calculated that, based on the Congress pledge made in December 2022, each eligible woman should have received around ₹75,000 over four years, but many remain unpaid.

He reminded listeners of the party's earlier commitment to generate one lakh government jobs and five lakh employment opportunities, questioning why, despite assurances of free electricity, power bills have continued to rise. Bindal concluded that the Congress government has failed to deliver on its electoral promises, leaving the people of Himachal Pradesh grappling with mounting economic challenges.