Punjab Newsline, Shimla/New Delhi-
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu called on Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman at New Delhi today.
Discussing fiscal issues of the State, the Chief Minister sought support of Centre Government for strengthening the financial condition of Himachal Pradesh.
Sukhu apprised the Union Minister about the memorandum and additional memorandum submitted to the 16th Finance Commission. He urged for making Revenue Deficit Grant at a minimum level of ten thousand crore annually. He laid stress on realistic assessment of Revenue Deficit Grant of States revenues and expenditure projections during the award period of 16th Finance Commission.
Chief Minister strongly pleaded for creating a separate ' Green Fund ' with earmarked annual allocation of 50,000 crore for hill states, they being the Green Frontiers and Lungs of North India, keeping in view the ecological services being provided by them. He also apprised about the revised formula proposed by the state for horizontal devolution for increasing the weightage for the criteria of Forest and Ecology. He urged that snow covered cum cold desert areas above tree lines should be included along with very dense forests and moderate sense forest areas for their symbiotic relationship.
He stressed upon reframing Disaster Risk Index developed by 15th Finance Commission pleading that Himalayan regions cannot be equated with other areas of the country. He said that State was deprived of adequate resources for its disaster relief despite facing heavy natural disasters. He urged for a separate DRI for hill states considering their unique indicators and demanded a separate allocation for hill states.
The Chief Minister requested the Union Finance Minister for extending support to the State by allowing additional borrowing of two percent GSDP as steep reduction in RDG over last few years has severely constrained the fiscal space available to the state.
Principal Advisor to CM Ram Subhag Singh, Principal Secretary Finance Devesh Kumar, Secretary to CM Rakesh Kanwar, and Senior Officers of State Government accompanied the Chief Minister.