Central undertakings opposing water cess on hydel projects: Himachal CM

Shimla, Jan 10 (SocialNews.XYZ) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu on Wednesday said Central Government undertakings were opposing the water cess levied by the state on hydel projects.

He said the interests of the state were not kept in mind by the previous BJP Government by allocating Luhri, Sunni and Dhaula-Siddh hydropower projects to hydropower major SJVN on easy terms.

Talking to the media after laying the foundation stone of four projects in his home constituency Nadaun in Hamirpur district, the Chief Minister said Rs 4,300 crore of the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) has been lying with the Central Government for many years.

He said the BJP failed in its role of a constructive Opposition and was indulging in cheap politics, ignoring the interests of the people of the state.

He said none of the state BJP leaders, including the BJP’s Members of Parliament, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi to seek financial assistance for the disaster-hit Himachal Pradesh.

“Not only this, the state government has sent claims of around Rs 10,000 crore to the Central Government, which are supposed to be provided in December, but the BJP leaders are creating hurdles in getting the amount released,” he said.

Appealing to the BJP leaders not to make false claims of getting special financial assistance from the Centre to misguide the people and also not to create hurdles in the way of the government for getting financial assistance from the Centre, Sukhu said, “If the Central Government has given any special economic package to Himachal Pradesh in connection with the disaster, then the BJP leaders should provide details of it.”

He said when a resolution was brought in the Assembly to declare the natural calamity in Himachal as a ‘national disaster’ the BJP MLAs opposed it ignoring the sorrow of the people.

Source: IANS