Govt bartering state interests in garb of new power policy: Sukhu

Tribune News Service

Shimla, November 21

Former Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) chief Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu has accused the state government of “selling” the interests of the state by amending the hydropower policy and said the Congress would oppose the new power policy with all its might.

Asserting that the party would oppose the e-hydropower projects, he said the government would not be allowed to “sell” the interests of the state through MoUs.

Under the old hydropower policy, there was a provision that the projects would become property of the government after 40 years but in the new policy, the state would get only 25 per cent share after 40 years and instead of 12 per cent free power as royalty for 12 years, the state would get only four per cent free power, he said, adding that the government must tell people that whom it was trying to benefit.

“It should be made public that under whose pressure the power policy was amended to mortgage the interests of the state,” he added.