Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda on Saturday launched a scathing attack on the Himachal Pradesh Government, accusing it of presiding over a “complete collapse of governance” and running a regime driven by “cuts and commissions”.
Addressing a press conference in Shimla, Nadda asserted that the Centre had consistently extended all possible assistance to Himachal Pradesh, but alleged that the state government’s failure to properly utilise allocated funds and submit utilisation certificates had hampered the flow of financial support.
“An attempt is being made to build a narrative that the Centre is not helping Himachal Pradesh. The reality is that the Centre has always stood by the state and has, on several occasions, gone beyond what was due,” Nadda said.
He maintained that instead of blaming the Centre, the state government should focus on improving governance and financial management. “The moral authority of the government has eroded completely. Ministers are at loggerheads, senior officers are publicly accusing one another, competent officers are leaving, and ad-hocism has become the norm,” he alleged.
Nadda said the Centre had no shortage of funds but stressed that state governments must ensure their proper and timely utilisation. He claimed that Himachal Pradesh had failed to fully utilise funds released under several central schemes and had yet to furnish utilisation certificates in many cases.
“The state government wants untied funds without accountability and intends to use them for paying salaries,” he alleged, adding that utilisation certificates for disaster relief funds were also pending.
Responding to questions regarding the delay in the release of the Rs 1,500 crore package announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Nadda accused the state government of submitting inflated proposals and failing to respond to queries raised by the Centre.
“Has anyone fixed accountability for the fact that 52 per cent of the allocation made by the 15th Finance Commission had to be returned?” he asked.
On the issue of the discontinuation of the Revenue Deficit Grant (RDG) to Himachal Pradesh, Nadda said the Chief Minister should have been aware that the grant was scheduled to end. He pointed out that the RDG had been discontinued not only for Himachal Pradesh but also for 17 other states.
“There is something called financial discipline, which is completely missing under this regime,” he remarked.
Turning to the political situation in the state, Nadda claimed that recent electoral outcomes had signalled a shift in public sentiment ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections. He said the Bharatiya Janata Party’s strong performance in urban local body and panchayat elections indicated growing support for the party.
When asked whether he intended to return to state politics, Nadda said he would continue to work for the interests of Himachal Pradesh while based in the national capital.
“I am a Himachali living in Delhi. I will continue working in the interest of Himachal Pradesh while remaining in Delhi,” he said.
