Chandigarh, Jan 9 (IANS): Himachal Pradesh government has inherited a debt of over Rs 75,000 crore due to the financial mismanagement by the previous BJP government, Cabinet ministers Anirudh Singh and Vikramaditya Singh said on Monday.

Also, they said, the government at its fag-end of tenure opened and upgraded a large number of government offices with a sole motive to woo voters and without budgetary provision.

Advising Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur to restrain from issuing baseless and unwarranted statements, they said it was surprising the former chief minister was raking up the issue of de-notification of the institutions opened by the previous government with an eye on the assembly elections.

They said all these institutions were opened and upgraded with a sole motive to woo voters. The present government has decided to wind up such institutions and all these would be reviewed and if found to be viable and required would be opened after making proper budgetary provision.

Justifying Sunday's hike in VAT on diesel, they said the government has inherited a debt burden of over Rs 75,000 crore with financial liabilities of about Rs 5,000 crore.

The ministers said the allegation of the former chief minister regarding appointment of Chief Parliamentary Secretaries was also uncalled for.

They reminded Jai Ram Thakur about the appointment of a large number of chairmen and vice chairmen in various boards and corporations.

Anirudh Singh and Vikramaditya Singh said the main task with the government is to bring back the derailed economy back on the track, create resources of income generation and cut down unproductive expenditure.