Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP from Hamirpur, Anurag Thakur on Tuesday said after his continued efforts, the Himachal Pradesh government has finally deposited Rs 17.27 crore for establishment of Central University campus at Dehra in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh.

Thakur, who favoured the setting up of central varsity campus at Dehra vis a visDharamshala, said Union Human Resource Development ministry, during the previous BJP regime had approved 70 per cent campus of Central University at Dehra and 30 per cent campus at Dharamshala.

“The same decision was conveyed by BJP led NDA government in 2016 but the Congress government not only acted as deterrent but stalled the ambitious project,” he said.

Thakur said now the students of the state will get quality education and a platform to carve a better future for them. “This dream (of setting up Central University campus at two places) would have been realised by now had the state government not acted as a deterrent and stalled the process,” he said.

The Hamirpur MP said during his meeting with PrakashJavadekar in August 2015 when he held the portfolio of Ministry of Environment, in-principal approval for acquiring 81.79 hectare of forest land for establishment of campus at Dehra was accorded.

However, for reasons best known to the Congress government, the CAMPA funds that were to be deposited immediately after the in-principal approval, was not done.

“It is only on 20 November that the CAMPA fund was deposited by the state government. Had it been done well within time, the Central University at Dehra would have been established and running by now,” he said.

“Union government had also approved the site in Dharamshala meant for 30 per cent of the remaining campus of Central University. The case that should have been sent by the government to the Centre has not been done so far,” he said, adding the Congress government on purpose has been delaying this project.

“Congress government made sure that they stalled every possible development for the state and took the state 10 years back in time. However, soon with BJP coming into power in Himachal Pradesh, we will ensure that all projects meant for development and prosperity are fulfilled well within time,” he said, adding the BJP government would begin the construction work for the University in Dehra at the earliest and progress the work on 30 per cent university at Dharamshala too.