MANDI: A day after Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu visited Dehuri village in Kullu district’s Banjar block and disbursed Rs 4,500 as three-month instalment to 2,238 eligible women under the Indira Gandhi Pyari Behna Sukh Samman Nidhi Yojana, local BJP MLA Surender Shourie called the Congress government’s scheme a “farce”.
Speaking to The Newz Radar, Banjar MLA Shourie alleged that the Sukhu-led Congress government’s much-touted Rs 1,500 per month women welfare scheme was nothing but a “showpiece launched in camera-friendly remote areas to mask the complete failure of governance elsewhere”.
The total financial outlay for 2,238 eligible women at the Banjar event was Rs 1.71 crore.
Why not cover all women of Kullu or Himachal, asks MLA
Shourie questioned the logic behind launching the scheme in a low-population area like Banjar when women in other parts of Kullu district or entire Himachal Pradesh remained in limbo.
“Banjar is not a model district for Congress governance, but it’s just a safe zone where they can run their schemes without scrutiny. Why are areas like Kangra, Shimla, Solan and Mandi being ignored where lakhs of women are still waiting for Rs 1,500 monthly benefits,” asked Shourie.
The MLA said the Rs 1,500 scheme was a blanket promise. “What we see now is a calculated drizzle — not a downpour of welfare. First Pangi, now Banjar — what next? Another hilltop hamlet where the government can host a ribbon-cutting ceremony?”
He emphasised that Banjar and Pangi are low-density regions and while they certainly deserve welfare, selective rollouts raise serious questions about fairness, strategy, and intent.
“Tokenism Wrapped in Welfare”
The BJP MLA alleged that the Congress government’s move was a classic case of “optical governance”.
“They are not governing for impact, but for impression. With barely 2,000 women getting Rs 1,500 per month, are we supposed to applaud this like it’s a revolution? They spent Rs 1.71 crore to reach 2,238 women — and that too after two years of delay. Meanwhile, women in populous districts, who voted for this promise, are still waiting. Is this rollout or rationing?” he asked.
Questioned ‘lack of transparency’ in selection process
“Where is the list of beneficiaries? Who made it? What is the eligibility verification method? This isn’t a personal donation, but public money. The government must answer who’s in and who’s left out, and why,” said Shourie.
Responding to CM Sukhu’s statement that corruption curbs have created savings that were now being used for the scheme, Shourie said: “It’s laughable. You don’t take over two years to fund a scheme you promised on Day One. The truth is they’re neither ready administratively nor financially. So they’re just buying time with headlines.”
Munish Sood
