Shimla, May 9 -- Amid mounting fiscal stress following the discontinuation of the Revenue DeficitGrant (RDG), the state government is set to raise loan of Rs.500 crore through government securities. The borrowing comes at a time when the state government has initiated an exercise to streamline the administrative structure and reduce expenditure by proposing downsizing cadre strength of All India Services, including IAS, IPS and IFS officers. Government securities, commonly known as G-sect, are debt instruments issued by the governments to raise funds from the market. Officials say that the state has been facing "extraordinary financial challenges" with the discontinuation of the RDG burning a hole of Rs.8,000-Rs.10,000 crore annually between 2026 and 2031 in the state'skitty. The financial strain has intensified at a time when the state's total debt has reached Rs.1,10,500 crore. To manage the situation, the government had already decided to temporary defer salaries from 20% and 50% of the elected representatives and officials. Chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu during his budget speech, earlier this year, had indicated that the state may have to raise additional loans. Justifying the borrowing, chief minister had then said that the raising loans was a continuous process linked to the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) and regulated under norms set by the Centre. He has repeatedly maintained that despite fiscal constraint, the government remains committed to making Himachal a self reliant economy by 2027 and a prosperous state by 2032. Criticising the state government's decision, BJP chief spokesperson Rakesh Jamwal said that under Congress rule, the financial condition ofHimachal has completely collapsed. "Today, the state government is compelled to constantly borrow funds merely to cover employee salaries, pensions, and daily operational expenses-a stark testament to the government's failed economic policies." "Today, the state's economic situation has deteriorated to such an extent that the government is being forced to take drastic measures, such as temporarily withholding the salaries of employees and officials.This situation marks a deeply alarming and unfortunate chapter in the history of the state," he said....