CM SUKHU FLAGS FISCAL STRESS, GST LOSSES, REVENUE CHALLENGES FOR HIMACHAL

A day after returning from New Delhi following a series of meetings with Union ministers, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Saturday highlighted the state’s growing fiscal challenges, sharp revenue losses due to GST and the need for special financial support for hill states.

- TDG NETWORK

Speaking to the media in Shimla, Sukhu said he had raised these concerns before the 16th Finance Commission and senior Union ministers, stressing that Himachal Pradesh could not be assessed on the same financial parameters as larger, consumption-driven states. The Chief Minister said revenue deficit grants (RDG) to the state had been consistently reduced over the years, adding pressure on the state exchequer. He pointed out that while the 15th Finance Commission had approved substantial RDG, the allocation had gradually declined, forcing the state to adopt strict fiscal discipline. Referring to the Goods and Services Tax regime