SHIMLA: Even as the Himachal government, led by chief minister Jai Ram Thakur pats its back over 69 national highways worth Rs 64,000 crore sanctioned by the Centre for Himachal Pradesh , opposition leader Mukesh Agnihotri said the Centre has not given any money to the state for this.Describing in-principle approvals as an eyewash, he asked the state government to release a white paper on funds received from the Centre.According to Agnihotri, the BJP-led NDA government has failed to implement major projects in Himachal Pradesh. Before the assembly elections, he said, Union minister Nitin Gadkari announced that 69 national highways would be constructed at a cost of Rs 64,000 crore. “But so far, not a single penny has been given to the state by the Centre for this,” he alleged.Pointing out that no tender has been floated for any national highway, Agnihotri said since the term of the NDA government would end in six months, the state government and Centre should tell when Rs 64,000 crore would be provided to Himachal Pradesh for construction of national highways.He said nothing concrete has been done about the construction of the around 4,500 km long national highways, since the matter is stuck at preparation of detailed project reports.He said claims are being made about construction of a Central university in Kangra district, but its foundation stone has not been laid. Same is the case with All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and Indian Institute of Information technology (IIIT), he said.Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid foundation stones for the projects before assembly election but 10 months on, work has not started, he said.Agnihotri also slammed the government for making big announcements on rail projects but doing nothing for explansion of railways.

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