Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], March 21 : Leader of the Opposition in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly, Jairam Thakur, on Saturday strongly criticised the reduction in the outlay of the State Budget, cautioning against a "grave crisis."
In a major austerity push, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Friday announced a six-month deferment of salaries for ministers, legislators and senior officials, along with a Rs 3,586 crore reduction in the overall budget size.
Speaking to ANI, the BJP leader pointed out that the Congress government will face difficulty in fulfilling its promises amid a crunch of funds.
"I don't know who prepared the budget, and if it was the officials who prepared it, action should be taken against them as well. The budget was presented in three phases. This budget has a deficit of about Rs 9.5 thousand crores. This budget is less than the previous budget. So, this budget clearly sends a clear message: Himachal Pradesh is in a grave crisis, and in such a crisis, Himachal Pradesh faces a significant challenge. Meeting this challenge will be extremely difficult," he said.
He said that the deferment of salaries of Class One Gazetted Officers, Cabinet Ministers, and MLAs indicates a "financial emergency."
"I must say that you have no funds left for development. The announcements you are making are solely for the sake of elections. The truth is that if you implement the announcements you made today, you will face great difficulty in fulfilling them. One such situation, which was seen for the first time in Himachal Pradesh today, was the announcement of the salary deferment. The Chief Minister announced the deferment of salaries of Class One Gazetted Officers, Cabinet Ministers, and MLAs. This simply means Himachal Pradesh is heading towards a financial emergency," the BJP leader added.
Earlier, the Chief Minister Sukhu, who presented the 2026-27 budget in the state assembly, sought the support of all sections and said the state will move towards self-reliance.
The total budget outlay has been reduced from Rs 58,514 crore in 2025-26 to Rs 54,928 crore for 2026-27, reflecting what the Chief Minister described as "extraordinary financial challenges" following the discontinuation of the Revenue Deficit Grant (RDG) by the Centre.
"We are working for the state and its people, not for elections. I seek six months' support from all sections, and I assure that Himachal Pradesh will move towards self-reliance," Sukhu said.
Announcing stringent expenditure control measures, the Chief Minister said that 50 per cent of his salary, 30 per cent of ministers' salaries and 20 per cent of MLAs' salaries would be deferred for six months, while senior bureaucrats, including the Chief Secretary, Additional Chief Secretaries, Secretaries and DGP-rank officers, would see a 30 per cent deferment, and other officials 20 per cent.
Police officers from ADGP to DIG rank would also face 30 per cent deferment, SP-level officers 20 per cent, and other staff 20 per cent, while the planned 3 per cent salary increment for employees would be deferred for six months, with Group D employees not receiving the increase during this period. The government also indicated that it may appeal to the judiciary for similar voluntary deferment measures.