Shimla: The Himachal Pradesh government on Tuesday tabled the Himachal Pradesh Water Cess on Hydropower Generation Bill, 2023 in the Vidhan Sabha.
Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri laid the Bill on the table of the House. Agnihotri clarified that the Bill was aimed to generate additional resources. The Himachal Pradesh Water Cess on Hydropower Generation Ordinance, 2023 was promulgated on February 15.
“The water cess would be imposed on 172 projects having a capacity of 10,991 MW and the government hoping to generate Rs 4,000 crore from the cess,” Deputy CM said and further clarified that the water cess would be paid by the power producers and won’t burden on the general public.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said that the passing of the Bill by the House would pave the way for the generation of the much-needed additional resources, considering Himachal’s poor fiscal health.
The state government also intend to set up a Commission for Water Cess on Hydropower Generation.
