Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu meets with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in New Delhi on Tuesday.
| Photo Credit: ANI
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on July 16 and urged the Central Government to support Himachal Pradesh’s initiatives to become a totally green state.
The Congress government in Himachal Pradesh has set targets to harness hydro, hydrogen, and solar energy to make the hill state a green energy state by the year 2025. Mr. Sukhu informed the Prime Minister about the State Government’s initiatives to achieve this goal.
He said the State seeks to achieve its goal of running entirely on green energy in the near future. Mr. Sukhu, said the State’s transport department has switched its entire fleet of official vehicles to electric, replacing petrol and diesel fuels. The objective of switching to electric vehicles was to curtail unnecessary expenditure on petroleum products and preserving the environment of the State, he added.
He said the State seeks to achieve its goal of running entirely on green energy in the near future. Mr. Sukhu said the State’s transport department has switched its entire fleet of official vehicles to electric, replacing petrol and diesel fuels. The objective of switching to electric vehicles was to curtail unnecessary expenditure on petroleum products and preserve the environment of the State, he added.
Green corridor
The Chief Minister also sought support from the Centre to generate 1,000 MW of hybrid solar and wind energy in the Spiti region of the State, which could be transmitted through a green corridor utilising the solar, wind, and hydro potential of the Sutlej River basin.
Raising several electricity-related issues pending with the Central government, Mr. Sukhu sought payment of pending arrears owed to Himachal Pradesh by the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB). He also sought the transfer of the British-era 110 MW Shanan Hydropower Project, presently under the control of the Punjab government, situated in Himachal’s Jogindernagar, to Himachal Pradesh as the 99-year-old lease had expired.
Mr. Sukhu said the State was striving to boost tourism, with the district of Kangra being developed as the tourism capital. He emphasised the importance of expanding the airport in Kangra and sought Central aid for 50% of the land acquisition costs and a special grant for expansion.
The Chief Minister briefed the Prime Minister on various development initiatives and requested substantial financial assistance to recoup massive losses suffered during the monsoon season last year.