Shanta Kumar backs Himachal CM Sukhvinder Sukhu on Shanan project, royalty issue
Hailing Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu for vigorously taking up the matter with the centre, BJP veteran and former union minister Shanta Kumar said that Punjab government cites the lease agreement with erstwhile Mandi State for not handing over the power project but this excuse too would be over when the lease expires next year.
BJP veteran and former union minister Shanta Kumar has come out in support of chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu over the issue of Shanan power project and increased royalty for the state in the hydroelectric power projects.
“It is a great injustice with Himachal and its people that the state has yet not got the Shanan power project,” said Kumar in a statement issued here.
Hailing Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu for vigorously taking up the matter with the centre, Kumar said that Punjab government cites the lease agreement with erstwhile Mandi State for not handing over the power project but this excuse too would be over when the lease expires next year.
“Truth is that Himachal should have got the project in 1966 itself as per the provisions of Punjab Reorganisation Act,” said the former two-term chief minister of Himachal.
Kumar said that he took up the matter with the then Prime Minister Morarji Desai in 1978 and he had even agreed but a committee was formed to take a final call after the opposition by Punjab and Haryana.
Kumar also said that it was also due to his efforts that the centre agreed to give 12% royalty to state in the hydro power projects located in Himachal.
“Himachal gets crores of rupees of royalty from these projects every year. However, this royalty now was needed to be enhanced as there has been long time after the rate of royalty was fixed and also the projects are also over and done with their liabilities,” said Kumar.
Also, the beneficiary states have also increased power tariffs manifolds since then and the rate of royalty should be increased in same proportion, he added.
He said that leaders of Himachal should draw a consensus on the issue and fight for the right of Himachal unitedly.
“I urge CM Sukhu to take along leader of opposition Jai Ram Thakur and union minister Anurag Thakur with him and raise the matter with the centre,” he said.
“I would also like to appeal to the BJP national president JP Nadda, Anurag and Jai Ram to help end this discrimination with Himachal,” he added.
