The 15th Finance Commission has recommended devolution of Rs. 19, 309 crore for year 2020-21 to Himachal Pradesh. The report of the Finance Commission has been submitted to the government of India.Industries Minister Bikram Singh said that out of this Rs. 11431 crore have been recommended as revenue deficit grant, Rs. 6833 crore as tax devolution, Rs. 636 for local bodies and Rs. 409 crore to the State Disaster Relief Fund. As compared to the 14th Finance Commission, there is an increase of 40.69 percent in revenue deficit grant, 21.05 percent in share of central taxes, 18.51 percent in rural local bodies, 417.50 percent in urban local bodies and 74.04 percent in state disaster relief fund. The average annual award during 14th Finance Commission was 14,407 crore while this year the State has been awarded Rs. 19,309 crore with overall increase of 34.03 percent.He said that the local body grants will be given to Zila Parishads, Panchayat Samitis and Cantonment Boards of the State apart from other local bodies like Municipal Corporations, Municipal Committees, Nagar Panchayats and Gram Panchayats. He said that Chief Minister had strongly taken up the matter with the Finance Commission for providing more grants in these sectors. It is due to his efforts that the Commission has enhanced the revenue deficit grant of the State as compared to the 14th Finance Commission.The Minister said that recommendations of the 15th Finance Commissions would help the State Government to give a push to the developmental and infrastructure activities in the States. All sections of the society, especially vulnerable sections will benefit immensely from these grants.He said that the 15th Finance Commission is yet to give its recommendations for 2021-22 to 2025-26. The State Government will continue to pursue the issues of Himachal Pradesh with the Commission, whose final report is expected in October, 2020.
The Minister said that the State Government has been able to pursue its demand for release of more grants with the Commission. Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur himself raised the matter regarding enhance in grant with the Chairman of the 15th Finance Commission as a result of which Himachal Pradesh has been given second highest revenue deficit grant in the country.He said that 13th Finance Commission only awarded an annual average grant of Rs. 4338.4 crore to Himachal Pradesh when UPA-II government led by Congress was in power at the Centre. Therefore, discrimination was done with the state by the UPA government.The previous Congress Government did not make efforts to get financial assistance for the state and therefore failed miserably in getting increased grant from the Finance Commission due to which the developmental activities suffered badly in the State.Bikram Singh said that the people of the state were thankful to the Union government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for enhancing the grant by more than Rs. 50 thousand crore for the state in 14th Finance Commission for 2015-19 in comparison to the grant provided by 13th Finance Commission for 2010-15. The average annual grant under 13th Finance Commission was only Rs. 4338.4 crore for Himachal, which was increased by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Rs. 14,407 crore in 14th Finance Commission and now to Rs. 19,309 crore in 15th Finance Commission for 2020-2021. It is a big achievement of the state government and the Opposition leaders are giving baseless and misleading statements on various matters just to divert the attention of the people from this accomplishment. He asked the Congress leaders that why they failed to get funds from the Centre and ensuring development of the state. Now, when the present state government has succeeded in getting enhanced grant then why the Congress leaders are unhappy and jolted.He said that today there are BJP governments at the Centre and State and this double engine is working in full stream for the development of the state. The people of the state are thankful to Prime Minister for providing liberal financial assistance to the State and putting up an end to the discrimination with Himachal Pradesh meted out by the UPA government.