Last Updated: July 01, 2023, 21:34 IST
Sukhu has been demanding what he claims are Himachal’s legitimate rights, including the State’s share in Chandigarh.
(File pic/PTI)
The Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu government claimed that it was seeking Himachal Pradesh’s legitimate due of 7.19 per cent as per Punjab Reorganization Act 1966.
In what could escalate the tension between two states, the Himachal Pradesh government has constituted a cabinet sub-committee to look into its share in the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) projects and the Union Territory of Chandigarh.
The Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu government claimed that it was seeking its legitimate due of 7.19 per cent as per Punjab Reorganization Act 1966.
As per notification issued by Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena the committee will be headed by Agriculture Minister Chander Kumar and will look into the claims of Himachal both in BBMB projects and in Chandigarh as envisaged under the Act and other inter-state agreements.
The other Members of the committee include Industries Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan, Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi and Secretary, Power will be the Member Secretary of the cabinet sub-committee.
Sukhu has been demanding what he claims are Himachal’s legitimate rights, including the State’s share in Chandigarh.
Despite opposition by Punjab and Haryana, he has also gone ahead with the imposition of water Cess on all 175 hydro-projects located in the State, which has been challenged by some independent power producers in the High Court.
The CM has been very categorical in his demand that the royalty in the form of free power that Himachal is getting in various power projects at the rate of 12 per cent must be enhanced once the project becomes debt free. He has been demanding royalty in the form of free power at the rate of 30 per cent in case of projects where construction cost has been recovered.
The cash strapped Congress regime is desperately trying to generate revenue from all possible resources, with hydel power being an important one.
The constitution of the committee has sparked strong reaction from the AAP in Punjab. Terming the claim as absurd and baseless the party’s Punjab Chief Spokesperson Malvinder Singh Kang said that only Punjab has all the rights on Chandigarh, which is built by depopulating the villages of Punjab.
“But unfortunately, during the sixties, the Congress government at the Centre cheated Punjab by giving parts of Chandigarh to Haryana,’’ said Kang in a statement.
Kang further questioned the in-charge of Himachal Congress and the leader of the opposition in Punjab, Pratap Singh Bajwa, whether he is also involved in these schemes being carried out by the Himachal Congress government. Will Partap Bajwa clarify his stand on this issue? he asked
Attacking the BJP and the Congress, Kang alleged that the two parties have always tried to `rob’ Punjab of its rights. “But the Mann government will not allow anyone to attack Punjab’s rights. We assure the Punjabis that the Aam Aadmi Party and the Mann government will always guard the interests of Punjab,’’ he added.
