Himachal Pradesh News
Himachal Pradesh : RDG cut is about Himachal’s constitutional rights, not politics: CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu calls for united fight
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Thursday said the Centre’s decision to discontinue the Revenue Deficit Grant (RDG) was not a political contest but a collective fight to protect the constitutional and financial rights of Himachal Pradesh, urging all parties to rise above differences and stand united on the issue.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Thursday said the Centre’s decision to discontinue the Revenue Deficit Grant (RDG) was not a political contest but a collective fight to protect the constitutional and financial rights of Himachal Pradesh, urging all parties to rise above differences and stand united on the issue.
Addressing mediapersons at Barthin in the Jhandutta Assembly constituency of Bilaspur district, Sukhu accused Leader of the Opposition Jai Ram Thakur of misleading the public for political gains and criticised the BJP’s state leadership for remaining silent over what he termed a major reduction in Central assistance.
“The discontinuation of RDG is a direct attack on the rights of the people of Himachal. This is not about the chair or power — it is about the future of the state. Everyone must fight this battle together,” the Chief Minister said.
In a show of bipartisan appeal, Sukhu said the Congress government was ready to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, even under the leadership of Jai Ram Thakur, to seek a favourable allocation from the 16th Finance Commission. He also challenged BJP legislators and Members of Parliament to clarify whether they would press the Centre to compensate the state for the estimated loss of Rs 50,000 crore between 2026 and 2031 due to the end of RDG.
The Chief Minister ruled out any rollback of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), which was restored by the Congress government, despite the financial burden. “There is no question of discontinuing OPS. We will continue this fight with the support of the people,” he asserted.
Admitting that the withdrawal of RDG would affect pensions, development works and welfare schemes, Sukhu said it was unfortunate that the Opposition was downplaying the seriousness of the situation. He also countered BJP leaders’ claims — including those by Hamirpur MP Anurag Thakur — that Central support had increased, saying such projections only reflected routine hikes in states’ share of taxes.
Highlighting the government’s fiscal measures, Sukhu said new sources of revenue had been created and leakages due to corruption curbed. “While we took loans worth Rs 23,000 crore, we repaid Rs 26,000 crore towards principal and interest,” he said.
Referring to Himachal’s geographical challenges, the Chief Minister noted that 68 per cent of the state’s land falls under forest cover, leaving limited space for development and revenue generation. He said grants had been provided to the state for 73 years in recognition of these constraints, but the sudden stoppage would have serious consequences.
Terming February 1, 2026, as a “black day” in the state’s history, Sukhu said the Centre’s decision to stop annual grants of nearly Rs 10,000 crore could impact Himachal’s long-term growth.
Earlier, the Chief Minister inaugurated and laid foundation stones of four development projects worth Rs 42.43 crore in Barthin. Technical Education Minister Rajesh Dharmani, former MLAs Bumbar Thakur and Biru Ram Kishore, and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.
