A significant reduction in the tribal area development budget by the state government for fiscal year 2025-26 has sparked outrage among political leaders and residents of Lahaul and Spiti district. Prominent local leaders, including former minister Ram Lal Markanda, former MLA Ravi Thakur and Zila Parishad member Kunga Bodh, have slammed the state government for neglecting the region’s developmental needs.
Markanda says that in 2022-23, Rs 84 crore was earmarked in the state Budget for tribal area development for Lahaul and Rs 79 crore for Spiti. In 2023-24, Rs 40 crore was provided for Lahaul and Rs 36 crore for Spiti. In 2024-25, Rs 45 crore was provided for Lahaul and Rs 40 crore for Spiti. In the 2025-26 Budget, Rs 13.23 crore was provided for tribal area development to Lahaul and Rs 11.76 crore to Spiti.
Ravi Thakur has also expressed concern over the state government’s indifference towards tribal areas. He alleges that a drastic cut made by the state government in the allocation for tribal areas will severely hamper critical development projects in agriculture, irrigation, public health, industry, education, sports, culture, transport, and labour welfare.
“The allocation made for tribal areas in the state Budget is insufficient. The state government is not serious about the concerns of people living in tribal and border regions,” he adds.
Thakur says that while the Central Government has increased financial assistance for tribal area development, the state government has decreased its allocation. In fiscal year 2024-25, the total budget for tribal area development was Rs 1,398.62 crore. While the state government contributed Rs 890.28 crore, the Central Government provided Rs 508.34 crore. For 2025-26, the Central Government’s share remains nearly the same, but the state government’s contribution has declined to Rs 638.73 crore. As a result, the total allocation has come down to Rs 1,146.42 crore, a cut of Rs 252.20 crore compared to the previous year.
Kunga Bodh, a member of Lahaul and Spiti Zila Parishad, says that ongoing and new development projects of drinking water supply, irrigation, road and bridge construction, public infrastructure and agriculture will be adversely affected. Public Works and Jal Shakti departments already have pending liabilities worth crores of rupees. As a result, many contractors have halted development works due to pending dues and the lack of funds.
The local leaders have urged the state government to reconsider the budget cuts and prioritise the developmental needs of tribal and remote areas. Lahaul and Spiti MLA Anuradha Rana says that non-cooperation by the Central Government is the reason behind the cut in the allocation for tribal areas.
