CM Vows to safeguard state’s Rights, Project to move forward
The Himachal Pradesh government on Wednesday reviewed the draft Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the 422 MW Kishau multipurpose hydroelectric project, with the formal agreement expected to be signed shortly between the partner states and the Government of India in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Chairing a high-level meeting in Shimla, Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu reviewed the draft MoU circulated by the Centre to the participating states for their comments and suggestions. He directed officials to safeguard Himachal Pradesh’s interests while finalising the agreement. The Chief Minister said the state government was fully committed to implementing the Kishau multipurpose project but asserted that protecting the rights and interests of Himachal Pradesh would remain its top priority.
Sukhu said a consensus on the project’s implementation had been reached during a recent meeting, under which Himachal Pradesh would receive nearly Rs. 600 crore annually as revenue without making any financial investment in the project. He said the present state government had rejected the earlier draft agreement and secured the acceptance of Himachal Pradesh’s proposed terms and conditions by all stakeholders. According to the Chief Minister, the revised arrangement protects the state’s long-term interests while ensuring implementation of the project.
Under the revised framework, all partner states will receive their legitimate share of power and water, while Himachal Pradesh will also receive adequate water from the reservoir based on its requirements. The state has secured rights over 378 million cubic metres of water in the Yamuna basin, Sukhu said. Calling the agreement a landmark achievement, the Chief Minister said it secures Himachal Pradesh’s rightful share and long-term benefits from the strategically important project. He also said the state government had intensified efforts to secure Himachal’s long-pending arrears of 13,066 million units of electricity from the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) projects, which have remained unresolved for nearly 15 years despite a Supreme Court decree.
The Chief Minister also highlighted that the present government had recently resolved an eight-year-old deadlock over Himachal Pradesh’s financial contribution to the Kishau project. He said the previous BJP government had agreed to contribute nearly Rs. 800 crore as the state’s share in the project. However, citing the state’s financial constraints, the present government opposed the proposal and negotiated an arrangement under which Himachal Pradesh would not be required to make any capital investment while continuing to receive its rightful benefits.
Principal Advisor to the Chief Minister Ram Subhag Singh, Additional Chief Secretary R.D. Nazeen, Principal Secretary Devesh Kumar and Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited Managing Director Abid Hussain Sadiq attended the meeting in Shimla. Chief Secretary Kamlesh Kumar Pant joined the deliberations virtually from New Delhi.
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