Officers skipping meetings a 'serious matter', says BJP MP Suresh Kashyap after DISHA review in Shimla

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], November 24 : Suresh Kashyap, the BJP MP from Shimla, on Monday expressed strong displeasure over senior officials skipping the District Development Coordination & Monitoring Committee (DISHA) meeting held in Shimla, calling it a "serious issue" that hampers the review and implementation of Central government schemes.
Speaking to reporters after chairing the meeting, Kashyap said several officials had avoided attending the session despite repeated instructions, prompting him to direct the Deputy Commissioner to issue show-cause notices.
"It is a matter of serious concern that some officers are not attending the DISHA meeting. They are avoiding it. I have asked the Deputy Commissioner to issue show-cause notices to such officials," Kashyap said.
He said the purpose of the DISHA meeting was to review the progress of all major Central schemes, including the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), Jal Jeevan Mission, and other flagship development programmes.
Kashyap noted with disappointment that despite substantial Central funding to Himachal Pradesh's Public Works Department (PWD), many projects remain incomplete.
"Under PMGSY alone, the Centre has released Rs 2,200 crores and sanctioned Rs 2,600 crores more. But PWD officials, especially those expected today, did not attend the meeting. This is unacceptable," he said.
He added that several PMGSY Phase-I and Phase-II projects sanctioned in 2016 and 2017 remain pending. "This is a matter of serious concern. People are yet to benefit from the roads approved long ago. We want these projects completed at the earliest," he said.
Kashyap also expressed concern that despite heavy rainfall causing widespread damage in the state, funds released by the Centre for road restoration were not reaching the grassroots.
"Money given by the Centre for road works is not being utilized at the lower levels. We have asked the PWD Executive Engineer to issue notices to officials who failed to attend the review," he stated.
The Shimla MP also criticised the Himachal Pradesh Congress government, alleging that it was trying to delay Panchayat elections by "misusing the Disaster Management Act."
"The state government is finding excuses to delay Panchayat elections. They are using the disaster situation only as a pretext," Kashyap claimed.
Pointing to inconsistencies, he said that while marriage functions and public activities were being allowed, the government was blaming weather disruptions for not holding local body polls.
"If roads are blocked, whose responsibility is it? It is the state government's duty. You cannot blame disasters only when it suits you," he said.
He also took a dig at the government for planning celebrations while disaster-hit families were still awaiting relief.
"Where the worst tragedy has occurred and families have lost homes, the government should be arranging relief, not celebrations. They want to delay elections to misuse the disaster relief funds for electoral gains," Kashyap alleged.
He accused the government of stopping development schemes initiated earlier in Himachal Pradesh and said the Centre under Prime Minister Narendra Modi had already provided significant disaster-relief funds, which must be used transparently.
Reacting to the appointment of Vinay Kumar as the new state Congress president, Kashyap said the ruling party had taken the decision after "a long delay."
"After waiting for so long, the Congress has finally appointed a new state president. Vinay Kumar has risen from the district level, and I congratulate him," he said.