Stopping schemes aimed at making Himachal self-reliant is shameful: Jairam Thakur

Former Chief Minister and leader of opposition Jai Ram Thakur said that the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led Congress government in Himachal Pradesh is acting as a hurdle in the state’s development and path to self-reliance.

He alleged that the government is neither working in the interest of the people nor allowing those who want to contribute to do so.

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“By suspending schemes initiated by the previous BJP government—both officially and unofficially—it is troubling the common people,” he said.

According to local reports, the government has withheld the budget of the Himachal Pushp Kranti Yojana, which is causing significant inconvenience to those involved in floriculture, he said, adding that due to a lack of subsidies, many floriculture projects are stalled.

Thakur questioned the Chief Minister, whether the state could become self-reliant by halting schemes that were empowering its people?

He further added that Himachal’s geographical conditions are excellent for floriculture, and if flower production is done scientifically, it can be a boon for the state’s economy.

In 2018, the previous BJP government had launched the Himachal Pushp Kranti Yojana to promote commercial flower cultivation, he said, adding that under this scheme, an 85 percent subsidy was offered for setting up polyhouses, and installing fan and pad systems.

Additionally, transportation subsidies were provided to ensure timely and cost-effective delivery of flowers to markets, he said.

“In just four years, over 1,700 farmers benefited from the scheme. Many families saw their annual income increase by Rs 8 lakh to Rs 12 lakhs, and the scheme helped curb youth migration from rural areas. These efforts not only strengthened the local economy but also created jobs and boosted tourism,” he said.

Thakur expressed his disappointment, saying that such an ambitious scheme has now been officially or unofficially shut down, exposing the hollowness of the Chief Minister’s slogan of a “Self-Reliant Himachal.”

This is not an isolated case. The current government is dismantling every pro-public initiative launched by the previous administration, he claimed, adding that schemes such as Natural Farming, Swavalamban, and others aimed at economic empowerment have also been discontinued or had their budgets frozen.

Furthermore, welfare programs like Sahara, Shagun, and Himcare, which served as lifelines for the common people, have become victims of the government’s vindictive politics, said Thakur.