Sampat Singh, national patron of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), has launched serious accusations against the BJP government, claiming financial mismanagement and a betrayal of public trust in relation to the 2025-26 budget. During a press conference held at the party’s Chandigarh headquarters, Singh contested Chief Minister Nayab Saini’s assertion that 98% of the previous year’s budget had been utilized. Singh, a former Finance Minister, asserted he had access to budgeting data up to February 25, 2026, and pointed out that the government made 729 announcements in the recent budget, allocating ₹7,500 crore for nearly 300 initiatives, yet no funds were actually spent.
Elaborating on these claims, Singh highlighted alarming disparities within various departments. For instance, he referenced the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, which received ₹406.12 crore for agricultural infrastructure, but failed to expend any funds. Similarly, the Department of Panchayati Raj and Development did not utilize the ₹890 crore allocated for rural development under the State Finance Commission. He also noted that ₹248 crore earmarked for the Swachh Bharat Mission and ₹73 crore for the Karnal Smart City project went unused, alongside ₹357 crore intended for healthcare services and the National Cancer Prevention Program.
In education, the allocated ₹310 crore designated for school infrastructure and science projects recorded zero expenditure, and schemes worth ₹306 crore for enhancing fire services similarly saw no financial engagement. Urban housing initiatives demonstrated a staggering unspent amount of ₹1,339.90 crore, while zero expenses were logged against ₹151 crore allocated for skill development initiatives, including the ‘Drone Didi’ and ‘Sankalp’ programs. Singh pointed out that only 22% of the funds for the ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ initiative had been utilized, citing these figures from an online budget monitoring system.
Singh vowed to formally report this financial neglect to the Principal Accountant General, the Central Finance Commission, and the Governor, emphasizing that such inaction constitutes gross mismanagement by the BJP government. He criticized the administration for what he calls a focus on superficial “event management,” suggesting that officials are keeping funds in low-yield fixed deposits while borrowing at much higher rates.
In response, BJP media in-charge Arvind Saini dismissed Singh’s allegations as politically motivated, asserting that the current budget spending for 2025-26 is the highest in the state’s history-far exceeding expenditures of past Congress and INLD governments. Saini credited proactive planning and effective monitoring for the improvements, claiming that the government’s efforts have eliminated previous bottlenecks in processes.
As this political controversy unfolds, it underscores the ongoing tension between Haryana’s major political parties regarding fiscal responsibility and governance. The effective management of public funds is set to remain a critical issue as the state approaches the next election cycle.
Original Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/haryana/didnt-spend-a-pennyinldaccuses-haryanagovt-of-gross-financial-mismanagement/article70835062.ece
Category : Haryana
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Publish Date: 2026-04-08 01:05:00
