Constitutes Cabinet sub-committee to examine inter-state agreements under Punjab Reorganisation Act
The Newz Radar
Shimla
After the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), the Himachal Pradesh government will now seek its share in the Union Territory of Chandigarh. The government has constituted a cabinet sub-committee to examine the inter-state agreements under the Punjab Reorganisation Act.
Industries Minister Harshvardhan Singh Chauhan and Revenue Minister Jagat Negi have been made members of the committee headed by Agriculture Minister Chandra Kumar. Energy Secretary will be the member secretary of the committee.
On Friday, the General Administration Department issued a notification in this regard in the Gazette. The committee will examine the records related to the claims of the state’s share in Chandigarh, including the projects of BBMB. After studying the matter, the report will be submitted to the Cabinet. Based on the report, the government will take up these matters with the Centre and the Punjab government. Since assuming power, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has been insisting that the state has a stake in Chandigarh along with BBMB.
The Chief Minister has been calling it his responsibility to advocate for the interests of Himachalis for the coming generations. The Chief Minister said that Himachal will demand its legitimate 7.19 per cent share as per the Punjab Reorganisation Act 1966 in every area, be it in Chandigarh or royalty from BBMB projects.
Senior officials of the government said that when Himachal Pradesh was a part of Punjab, the government of India had formed BBMB. After this, when Himachal was separated from Punjab, its share in Chandigarh and BBMB was fixed. Himachal is not getting even one per cent royalty in BBMB, while the state is getting its benefits in other projects.
