Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri has said that Himachal Pradesh’s Jal Shakti Vibhag has suffered losses of nearly Rs 4,000 crore over the past three years due to repeated natural calamities. He raised the issue during a meeting with Union Water Resources Minister C.R. Patil in New Delhi on Friday, urging the Centre to extend financial support for restoration and completion of key water supply and irrigation projects.
Agnihotri said that the Jal Shakti Vibhag alone faced unprecedented losses, with damage worth Rs 2,132.70 crore recorded in 2023 and Rs 1,291.51 crore already reported this year. He requested the release of Rs 1,227 crore for the completion of ongoing schemes under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) and pressed for central assistance for projects under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojna (PMKSY).
He also advocated for the release of funds under the Post Disaster Need Assessment (PDNA) and urged the Union Minister to relax its norms to expedite restoration works. Agnihotri pointed out that against an approved amount of Rs 697 crore for the water supply sector in 2023, only Rs 100 crore has been released so far, slowing down repair and reconstruction efforts.
The Deputy CM further sought early approval of a Rs 97.78 crore scheme for the modernisation of Command Area Development in clusters of the Haroli block in Una district. He also pressed for the release of funds for 11 already approved flood protection projects and highlighted the need for channelisation of rivers, particularly the Beas.
He said the state government has prepared a detailed project report worth Rs 1,795 crore for river channelisation, after model studies conducted by the Central Water and Power Research Station (CWPRS). He underlined that channelising the Beas River is critical given its proximity to the Kullu-Manali airport and the Chandigarh-Leh National Highway, and would also ensure safe transport of horticulture produce from Kullu and Lahaul valley, besides facilitating smooth tourist movement.
Union Minister C.R. Patil assured that the demands of Himachal Pradesh would be considered sympathetically and promised support for financing projects in the larger public interest.
