Buoyed by what it describes as a major breakthrough in safeguarding Himachal Pradesh’s interests in the Kishau multipurpose project, the state government has now stepped up efforts to secure its long-pending financial claims from the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), with Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu seeking the Centre’s intervention to resolve the issue.
In a detailed telephonic conversation with Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, the Chief Minister urged the Union Government to facilitate the recovery of Himachal Pradesh’s statutory dues and ensure that the state’s long-recognised rights under the BBMB framework are implemented without further delay.
According to the Chief Minister, Himachal Pradesh has been pursuing its legitimate claims for several years and expects the Union Government to play a constructive role in resolving the matter. He maintained that the state is committed to protecting its constitutional and financial interests while continuing to cooperate on projects of national importance.
During the discussion, Sukhu linked the future progress of the Kishau multipurpose project with the resolution of Himachal Pradesh’s pending BBMB claims. He conveyed that the state would move ahead with the project only after the Haryana government formally acknowledges Himachal Pradesh’s share in the outstanding BBMB arrears and submits an affidavit before the Supreme Court affirming its position.
The Chief Minister argued that expecting Himachal Pradesh to participate in new inter-state projects while its own legally recognised claims remain unresolved would not be equitable. He also pointed out that despite repeated representations over the years, Punjab and Haryana have yet to ensure that Himachal Pradesh receives the benefits to which it is legally entitled.
Responding to the concerns, Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar reportedly assured the Chief Minister that he would hold discussions with the Chief Ministers of Punjab and Haryana and explore an appropriate mechanism to safeguard Himachal Pradesh’s statutory rights while working towards an amicable resolution of the dispute.
The issue traces its origins to a Supreme Court judgment delivered nearly fifteen years ago, in which Himachal Pradesh’s entitlement to a 7.19 per cent share in BBMB projects and the associated benefits was recognised. Despite that judicial determination, the state government maintains that it has not received its due share of electricity generation or the corresponding financial returns.
According to the state government, Himachal Pradesh has been deprived of approximately 13,066 million units of electricity and the economic benefits arising from that allocation for more than a decade. Based on the court’s ruling and subsequent calculations, the government estimates that the pending financial liability now stands at nearly ₹4,200 crore.
Sukhu said the state administration is pursuing all available legal and administrative avenues to recover the outstanding amount, emphasising that the dues represent resources that rightfully belong to the people of Himachal Pradesh. He asserted that protecting the state’s financial interests remains one of his government’s foremost priorities.
The Chief Minister also recalled his government’s decision in 2023 to reject the earlier financial framework proposed for the 422 MW Kishau multipurpose project. Under the original arrangement, Himachal Pradesh would have been required to bear a substantial share of the power generation costs.
He said the government’s decision to renegotiate the project structure has significantly improved the state’s financial position. Under the revised arrangement, Himachal Pradesh is expected to receive an estimated annual revenue of around ₹600 crore from the project without making any direct capital investment, a development the government describes as a major policy success in safeguarding the state’s long-term economic interests.
The renewed push to recover BBMB arrears reflects the Sukhu government’s broader strategy of asserting Himachal Pradesh’s financial and resource rights in inter-state projects. As discussions with the Centre and neighbouring states continue, the outcome could have significant implications not only for the state’s fiscal position but also for the future framework governing hydroelectric and water-sharing arrangements in northern India.
With the matter now drawing attention at both the state and Union levels, the coming months are expected to be crucial in determining whether decades-old financial claims can finally be resolved through negotiation, legal intervention or a combination of both.
This is a web-generated news report based on official information and publicly available sources and has been independently rewritten for originality, editorial clarity and a premium newspaper presentation.
