Himachal Govt asks Centre to hike state's electricity royalty in hydropower projects

New Delhi: The Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has urged Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar to increase the state's royalty of free electricity from hydropower projects operated by central public sector enterprises.

At present, the state receives 12 percent free electricity in royalties from such projects.

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Sukhu, during a meeting with Khattar in New Delhi on Tuesday, asked for increasing the royalty beyond 12 per cent, especially with respect to projects that have completed 12 years, according to an official statement issued here on Wednesday.

In the 180-MW Baira Siul hydroelectric project, which has completed 44 years of commissioning, the state has asked for raising the free power royalty to 50 per cent.

According to the statement, the chief minister also flagged the inordinate delay in payment of energy arrears for the state in Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) projects.

Highlighting difficulties faced by the people of the state when these projects were executed, the CM said that thousands of people were displaced, and the state faced adverse environmental impacts. He added that the settlement of pong dam oustees is still far from sight.

The chief minister said that Haryana and Punjab may give consent to provide energy arrears of 13,066 MU due as of October 31, 2011. In cases where the energy arrears are to be paid in monetary terms, the tentative amount will be Rs 7,784 crore, with the compound interest rate of 6 per cent till date.

Sukhu also asked for financial assistance for the development of HimChandigarh and Aero City at Kangra for planned urbanisation, economic growth, tourism and investment in the state.

He apprised the Union minister that the state is proposing projects amounting to Rs 1,179 crore under the Urban Challenge Fund in 24 urban local bodies. Of them, projects worth Rs 660 crore have been submitted to the central government for approval in the first phase.

He sought the release of Rs 12.33 crore under the Clean Hilly and Himalayan Cities Initiative to ensure the timely implementation of sanitation and waste management programmes.

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Further, the chief minister sought the balance fund of Rs 64.45 crore for already sanctioned projects under AMRUT and asked for the approval of 43 new projects in 14 urban local bodies under AMRUT Mitra that have been submitted to the Centre.

He informed that the state is in the process of implementing a QR-based digital door plate system across ULBs (urban local bodies) to provide unique property identity and asked for financial support of Rs 18 crore over five years from the Centre for its implementation.

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