TNR News Network
Dharamshala: Former Industry Minister and BJP MLA Bikram Thakur on Thursday accused the Himachal Pradesh tourism department of favoritism in awarding a consultancy contract on second day of winter session of Himachal legislative assembly.
Speaking in the Assembly, he alleged that the department, in collusion with certain officials, granted the contract to US-based firm Grand Horton, bypassing Tata Consultancy.
Thakur claimed that undue advantages were extended to Grand Horton during the technical evaluation process, causing a loss of ₹20 crore to the state exchequer. “This matter must be investigated thoroughly,” he demanded.
Raising additional concerns, Thakur alleged that Congress leaders involved in the scrap business in the Baddi-Barotiwala industrial belt are delaying the notification of the scrap policy. The policy was promised by the Congress government upon assuming power but remains unimplemented, he noted.
Thakur criticized the government for failing to address the plight of unemployed youth, citing a pending subsidy of ₹169 crore that has yet to be disbursed. He argued that this delay is directly impacting the livelihoods of the people.
The BJP MLA also accused the government of shielding the mining mafia, referencing the controversy surrounding IPS officer Ilma Afroz. In a striking claim, he alleged that a local leader in his constituency is demanding a 10% commission in Public Works Department (PWD) tenders while being invited to school functions where funds are reportedly collected from students and parents.
Thakur further alleged that illegal forest activities are rampant in Himachal Pradesh, with approximately 500 trucks of forest goods leaving the state daily.
