Shimla, Feb 13 (IANS) Himachal Pradesh BJP Vice President and former minister Rajeev Saizal on Thursday accused the Congress government in the state of constructing a boundary wall by spending Rs 8.75 crore for a private company in the industrial belt of Baddi by using funds from the centrally-sponsored PM Gati Shakti scheme.
“The government should answer why the Central funds were diverted. The PM Gati Shakti scheme, designed to enhance seamless connectivity and infrastructure, is being used to construct a two-km boundary wall around Indo Farm Equipment Ltd plot along the Ratta river in Baddi,” Saizal said in a statement.
He said the Industries Department is executing the project through the Himachal Pradesh State Industrial Development Corporation (HPSIDC).
“Rs 14 crore was sanctioned for the project, with Rs 8.75 crore allocated to erect the wall along the riverbank. The first installment of Rs 3 crore has already been disbursed,” he said.
The BJP leader said the land allotment to the company in January 2022 was granted a customised package for establishing an auto park in Baddi, with the promise of generating 300 jobs.
“Nearly three years later, the land allegedly remains unused, with no industrial activity initiated,” he said.
Saizal questioned whether funds under the PM Gati Shakti are meant for public infrastructure development. Using them to benefit a single private firm is a misuse.
Meanwhile, the Baddi Barotiwala Nalagarh Development Authority was given a mere Rs 2 lakh for broader development needs.
He also accused the Congress government of double standards, saying, “The Congress blames the BJP for corruption inside the Assembly but engages in questionable practices outside it. This is a glaring example of hypocrisy.”
The allotment terms required the company to begin production within 24-30 months and invest Rs 150 crore of the proposed Rs 500 crore within this period.
“These conditions remained unmet, yet the government had not taken action to reclaim the land,” he said.
As per the former minister, Rs 42 crore has been granted under the PM Gati Shakti scheme, Rs 35 crore allocated for creating an IT park in Palampur and Rs 7 crore was meant for infrastructure development in the Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh industrial belt.
–IANS
vg/svn