Himachalis being preferred in allotment in mini hydel projects: CM

Shimla, Apr 5 (UNI) Asserting that Himachalis were being preferred in allotment of mini hydel projects in the state, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh said this was unlike the previous BJP government that allotted a large number of projects to people from outside the state.

Replying to the discussion on the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board (HPSEB) Budget, presented in the Assembly earlier in the day, he said the government has reserved hydel projects up to two MW for Himachalis only, while preference would be given to Himachalis in projects up to five MW.

Mr Singh said the state government would also help Himachalis who were willing to take hydel projects more than five MW projects, unlike the previous BJP government that allotted majority of the projects to people from Hyderabad.

Detailing the number of projects allotted to people from outside the state, he said, the previous BJP government had advertised 643 mini hydel projects, and allotted 202 projects, in all, of which only 33 were given to Himachalis while the rest were given to non Himachalis.

He said the Congress Government, on the other hand, allotted only 31 hydel projects to non Himachalis out of a total of 70 in 2006, while the process for allotting 168 hydel projects was on.

The state government has also recently decided to review the progress of these hydel projects, he said, adding that projects in which no work has been initiated would be cancelled.

''This is necessary to ensure that people who had been allotted hydel projects are not able to sale them at higher rates to other people or groups.'' MORE UNI AS JN MIR KN2005