New Delhi/Shimla – Himachal Pradesh has renewed its push for a more influential role in the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), with Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu calling for the appointment of a permanent member from the state to the board.
The demand came during CM Sukhu’s meeting with Union Minister for Power Manohar Lal Khattar in New Delhi on Thursday. He asserted that despite being a key contributor to the country’s hydropower generation, Himachal Pradesh remains underrepresented in critical decision-making platforms like the BBMB.
In addition to seeking permanent representation, the Chief Minister pressed for the release of arrears owed to the state by the BBMB. He also demanded an increase in Himachal’s free power share from hydropower projects operated by Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) and Central Public Sector Undertakings (CPSUs)—particularly in cases where the project costs have already been recovered.
“Himachal Pradesh has played a pivotal role in the nation’s energy sector, but it has not received its fair dues,” Sukhu said. “It’s time the Centre ensures the state’s rightful share in revenue and representation.”
The Chief Minister also raised the issue of handing over the long-pending Baira Siul project, which was constructed in 1980-81, to the state. He welcomed the Union government’s in-principle approval to transfer four other projects—Luhri, Sunni, and Dhaula Sidh (SJVNL) and the Duggar project (NHPC)—to Himachal Pradesh. He added that the cost assessment process for these projects is currently underway.
