Munish Sood
Mandi
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Tuesday defended the government’s decision to withdraw cabinet rank from chairpersons, vice-chairpersons and advisors, saying the move is part of a broader fiscal reform strategy after the state suffered a massive revenue setback following the closure of the Revenue Deficit Grant (RDG).
Addressing the media, the Chief Minister said the discontinuation of RDG has resulted in a financial gap of nearly ₹8,000–10,000 crore for the state. He said the government is preparing to address this shortfall by introducing a series of structural reforms so that Himachal Pradesh can move towards financial self-reliance.
Sukhu said the state will not receive such grants for the next five years, and therefore the government must prepare itself to run the administration with its own resources. “We have to ensure that the state becomes financially self-sustaining. For that, reforms are necessary,” he said.
The Chief Minister clarified that while the government is undertaking expenditure control measures, essential sectors such as education, health and public security will not face any cuts. According to him, the priority of the government remains protecting services that directly affect the welfare of citizens.
Sukhu also said that the current expenditure restrictions have been introduced for an initial period of six months, after which the government will review the situation and decide whether further measures are required.
He added that the government is currently working on the state budget and preparing for the upcoming session of the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly, where more decisions aimed at reforms and fiscal discipline could be taken. “While preparing the budget, we are closely examining where improvements can be made and how the state can be put on a path of financial self-reliance,” he said.
The Chief Minister further indicated that the government is also evaluating how relief can be provided to economically weaker sections while asking those who are financially capable to contribute more. “Our effort will be to ensure that the poor receive maximum benefit, while those who are capable may have to bear some additional responsibility,” he said.
Sukhu maintained that the withdrawal of cabinet rank from chairpersons and advisors should be seen in this larger context of fiscal prudence and administrative reforms aimed at stabilizing the state’s finances in the coming years.
