Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Himachal Pradesh Media Department in-charge Randhir Sharma has accused the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh of stalling the projects of the Central government.

In a statement issued here on Saturday, he said: “The Central University was sanctioned in Kangra district by the centre and for this, land was identified at both Dehra and Dharamshala for two separate campuses to be built at both the places. During the previous BJP government matters of forest clearance of the land was expedited. The work for the campus of the university to be built in Dehra was started, the foundation stone of which was laid by the then Union Minister Prakash Javadekar.”

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He further said: “The foundation stone of the campus to be built in Dharamshala was also laid. However, the case of forest clearance of the land was going on and since last year, the Central Forest Department had asked the state government to pay Rs 30 crore for the forest department land and the trees in that campus. This application came from the Central Government on July 1, 2023, however state government still has not deposited the Rs 30 crore due to which the NOC from the Forest Department is still pending and the construction work of the campus to be built in Dharamsala is hanging in balance.”

The BJP has demanded the incumbent state government to immediately deposit Rs 30 crore, so that the work of Central University can be started in Dharamshala as well.

It is clearly visible that the Congress government is making every effort to stop this ambitious Rs 510 crore Central University project, he alleged.