HIMACHAL CM RAISES CHANDIGARH SHARE, BBMB DUES AND SHANAN PROJECT WITH PUNJAB GOVERNOR

Face2News/Chandigarh

 Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu called on Punjab Governor and Chandigarh Administrator Gulab Chand Kataria on Friday and raised several long-pending issues concerning the state, seeking their early and just resolution.

During the meeting, the Chief Minister reiterated Himachal Pradesh’s claim to a 7.19 per cent share in the Union Territory of Chandigarh, stating that under the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966, the state is a successor to the erstwhile undivided Punjab and is entitled to its proportionate share based on the population of the transferred areas.

He said Chandigarh was developed using the combined resources of the undivided Punjab, while Punjab and Haryana have benefited from the city’s land, assets and administrative infrastructure for over five decades. However, Himachal Pradesh, despite its legal entitlement, has yet to receive its due share.

Sukhu also pressed for the construction of an additional Himachal Bhawan in Chandigarh, saying the existing facility, built decades ago, is no longer adequate to meet the growing needs of the state’s students, patients and other visitors. He informed the Governor that 4.736 acres of land in Sector 52 has been identified for the proposed Himachal Sadan after discussions with the Chandigarh Administration.

The Chief Minister further sought the early settlement of pending dues from the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), stating that the Supreme Court has already recognised Himachal Pradesh’s 7.19 per cent share in BBMB projects and related benefits.

He said the state has been awaiting the release of 13,066 million units of electricity and the corresponding financial dues for more than a decade.
Sukhu also raised the issue of the Shanan Hydroelectric Project, asserting that the project is located in Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi district, which was never part of the transferred areas under the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966. He maintained that the Act does not apply to the project and, therefore, no claim can be made over it on that basis.

He further stated that the 99-year lease of the Shanan project expired on March 2, 2024, and with the expiry of the lease, all rights arising from it ceased automatically. Consequently, any claim to operate, manage or retain possession of the project on the basis of the expired lease has no legal validity.

The Chief Minister expressed confidence that all the pending issues could be resolved through constructive dialogue, mutual respect and the spirit of cooperative federalism.