Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Saturday presented ₹54,928-crore budget for the financial year 2026-27 in the state assembly.
Mr. Sukhu, who was presenting his fourth budget, started his speech by saying that the discontinuation of the revenue deficit grant (RDG) has impacted the annual budget and accused the BJP for not supporting the State's interests.
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"The opposition BJP has not sided with the state in these hard times and history will never forget them," Sukhu said, drawing immediate reaction from the BJP members.
BJP leaders raise slogans
The BJP took exception to the language and raised slogans after moving into the well of the House.
As the sloganeering continued, the speaker adjourned the House till 11.30 am after which the BJP members moved out of the House, though the Congress MLAs remained seated.
Minutes later, BJP members returned and continued raising slogans while the Chief Minister continued the budget speech.
He said conflicts around the world have started impacting the State as well and LPG prices are increasing due to the ongoing war between U.S.-Israel and Iran.
He further said a comparison of Himachal Pradesh with Uttarakhand and Assam is wrong as Himachal is a hill State with limited resources like water and forest. "Himachal is the lung of north India and should get a green bonus but instead the revenue deficit grant to the State has been discontinued," he said.
Discontinuation of the RDG would result in loss of ₹8,105 crore annually, he said.
The Chief Minister, who holds the finance portfolio, announced a provision of ₹500 crore to complete pending works, adding that a list of 300 incomplete works has been prepared.
Milk procurement price was hiked by ₹10 — cow milk would be bought for ₹61 per litre and buffalo milk for ₹71.
The size of the State budget for the upcoming financial year is about ₹4,000 crore less from last year's ₹58,514 crore.