Himachal Pradesh Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh has blamed Centre for having failed to walk the talk of assistance for the restoration of roads post monsoon disaster in Himachal Pradesh.

Addressing media persons here on Monday, Singh said that after the disaster struck the state, Union Minister of Road Transportation and Highways Nitin Gadkri had visited Himachal Pradesh and announced assistance for of Rs 275 crore for upgradation of major district roads (MDR), financial assistance under Bharat Setu Scheme for bridges, Rs 55 crore for two significant roads connecting Mandi and Kullu.

The Union Minister had also announced Rs 100 crore Bharat Setu Scheme for repair of damaged bridges, Rs 50 crore for repair of roads connecting National Highways, however not even a single penny has been provided to the state so far, he said.

However, despite all this the BJP leaders of the state are making false propaganda about getting relief money from the Centre.

Expressing surprise that the Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur had met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and shown gratitude for assistance provided by the Centre, Singh challenged him to make public the exact figures of the assistance provided by the Central government.

Advocating for lifting the ban on operation of stone crushers imposed by the state government on Beas River and its tributaries, Singh claimed that it was the illegal mining that was responsible for the devastation during monsoon fury and not the stone crushers.

“The closure of stone crushers is causing losses and the public and the contractors have been demanding lifting of the ban,” he said, adding that the state government has constituted a committee to look into it and based on the report of the committee the government will take the decision to restart the same.

He further said that the PWD is working diligently and transparently to restore the damaged roads caused by rain in the state.

“We have taken cognizance of the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana and the work on 170 roads is still going on. Any contractor who has not completed his work in the first and second phase will not be given the work for the third phase,” he said.

In some districts, where the work has not been completed under this scheme, instructions have been given to complete it on time, he added.

“There are 30 such roads in the state which are being undertaken under the MLA Fund and their work is going on very slowly. Five percent penalty will be imposed on the contractors who do not complete the work on time,” he asserted.

To ensure transparency and reduce corruption, all the works being undertaken by the PWD will be done through an online system and there will be no compromise on the quality of work being done in construction and repair of roads in the state, said Singh.