CM says equity participation sought in Parbati, Kol dam projects

Shimla, July 9 (UNI) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh has said his government had sought equity participation in 2,051 MW Parbati hydro-electric project and 800 MW Koldam from the Centre, in lieu of the exploitations of natural wealth of the state.

Addressing a public meeting at Bahali in Shimla district of the state, he said since the state was getting 25 per cent equity in the 1,500 MW Nathpa Jhakri hydel project, the state should have equity participation in Parbati, which was being executed by National Hydro Power Corporation (NHPC), and Koldam by National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC).

Mr Singh said the previous state government had not sought equity participation in these two projects even though Himachal was getting 25 per cent from the Nathpa project, which was set up before the BJP government came to power last time.

The state government was likely to suffer a loss of Rs 40,000 crore due the previous state government's failure to get equity participation in these projects, he claimed.

He said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Finance Minister P Chidambaram and Union Power Minister Sushilkumar Shinde had assured him that they would look into the matter.

Reiterating his government's resolve to exploit the identified hydel potential of the state, the chief minister said this would help in tiding over the power crises in the neighbouring states, besides earning precious revenue.

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