Shimla, Mar 8 (PTI) The Himachal Pradesh government has hidden several economic data in the Budget 2021-22 tabled in the state Assembly on Saturday, the leader of opposition Mukesh Agnihtori said on Monday.

Initiating discussion on the Budget, Agnihotri said the state government has not made any mention of the existing debt and the probable borrowings in 2021-22 by the state government.

The leader of opposition said the debt burden on the state had risen to Rs 61,000 crore and it is feared to reach at Rs 85,000 crore in the next financial year.

Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur-led current BJP government will become the government that takes the highest loan of Rs 45,000 crore in its tenure, he added.

Agnihtori alleged that the state government is trying to divide the people on caste and gender lines, by ignoring males and the upper castes girls.

The state government has announced a grant of Rs 31,000 to the daughters of SC, ST and other backward classes from BPL families at the time of marriage under Shagun scheme. It has also announced a social security pension of Rs 1,000 per month to elderly women in the age group of 65-69 years under the Swaran Jayanti Nari Sambal Yojana.

The leader of opposition criticised the state government for not announcing any relief in the Budget for the 2.25-lakh government employees.

Agnihotri said no permanent job would be provided by the state government in 2021-22. It has been stated in the Budget that the state government would provide 30,000 jobs but they are either on contractual basis on small salary or on outsource basis, he said. People say selection of 4,000 of them has already been finalised, Agnihotri added.

The leader of opposition said, "Beware of God. Former Haryana CM is already in jail."

Agnihotri said that the government also did not announce a reduction of VAT on petroleum products to provide relief to the people. Further, subsidy on various items has also been reduced from Rs 1,200 crore to Rs 1,000 crore, he added. HRS hrs

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