Shimla, March 11 -- Chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Wednesday inaugurated robotic surgery services at the Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital (IGMC), Shimla, announcing that the state will provide world-class surgical technology at a fraction of private sector costs. Speaking at the inauguration, Sukhu said while robotic surgeries typically cost upwards of Rs.3 lakh in private facilities, the state government has capped the charges at Rs.30,000 for general ward patients and Rs.50,000 for those in special wards. "Robotic surgery was previously the preserve of high-end private hospitals. We are bringing this to government institutions to ensure the common man benefits from quicker recovery and world-class precision," he said. He noted that the technology has already proven successful at the Super Speciality Hospital in Chamyana, where 150 operations were conducted over the past eight months. The state plans to expand these facilities to five more medical colleges, including those in Mandi and Hamirpur, potentially making Himachal one of the first states in North India to offer such widespread public access to robotic healthcare. Sukhu added that the government is also upgrading diagnostic infrastructure with new MRI machines and modern labs at IGMC, Tanda, and Chamyana. Political offensive Beyond healthcare, the chief minister took a swipe at the BJP, accusing the saffron party of adopting an "anti-Himachal" stance. He alleged that the Centre has slashed the state's Revenue Deficit Grant by Rs.8,000-10,000 crore, yet local BJP leaders have remained silent. "I don't understand why the BJP is behaving in this manner. They have failed to raise their voice for disaster-affected families or the state's financial rights," Sukhu said. He claimed the state BJP is riddled with internal factions and is more focused on "social media criticism" than substantive issues. Addressing concerns over LPG distribution, Sukhu clarified that the supply is managed by the Union government....