CM Sukhu meets Union Finance Minister, raises key fiscal issues of Himachal Pradesh

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], January 15 (ANI): Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Thursday called on Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman at New Delhi.
Discussing the fiscal issues of the State, the Chief Minister sought the support of the Centre Government for strengthening the financial condition of Himachal Pradesh.
CM Sukhu apprised the Union Minister about the memorandum and additional memorandum submitted to the 16th Finance Commission. He urged making the Revenue Deficit Grant at a minimum level of ten thousand crore annually. He laid stress on the realistic assessment of the Revenue Deficit Grant of States revenues and expenditure projections during the award period of the 16th Finance Commission.
The Chief Minister strongly pleaded for creating a separate 'Green Fund' with an earmarked annual allocation of Rs 50,000 crore for hill states, which are the 'Green Frontiers and Lungs of North India', keeping in view the ecological services being provided by them.
He was 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 moderately dense forest areas for their symbiotic relationship.
He stressed reframing the Disaster Risk Index developed by the 15th Finance Commission, pleading that the Himalayan regions cannot be equated with other areas of the country. He said that the 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 to extend support to the State by allowing additional borrowing of two per cent GSDP, as a steep reduction in RDG over the 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 the state government accompanied the Chief Minister. (ANI)