Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu yesterday impressed upon the NITI Aayog to adopt a separate yardstick for the grant of funds to hill states. He also raised the demand for the grant of ‘green bonus” to Himachal Pradesh.
Sukhu met Vice-Chairman of the NITI Aayog Suman Bery and member VK Paul and a panel of experts in New Delhi. He requested the NITI Aayog to study the peculiar needs of Himachal Pradesh and plead its case with the funding agencies and the Finance Commission accordingly. He elaborated the vision of a ‘Green Himachal’ that his government was pursuing.
He said, “Himachal must get ‘green bonus’ for conserving its forest cover, which is vital for the entire country. Himachal acts as the lungs of North India and hence must get ‘green bonus’ for protecting the forest cover and natural resources.” He urged the NITI Aayog to adopt a different yardstick while assessing the financial needs of the hilly states which were different from other states.
The Chief Minister also raised the issue of the grant of royalty in hydroelectric power projects being executed by the central public sector undertakings (CPSUs). He emphasised the need for better air and rail connectivity to the state.
He discussed the challenges the state was facing in terms of natural calamities and rising cancer cases and urged the NITI Aayog for a detailed study of the causes so that remedial measures could be taken.
Bery said that a panel of experts would study the case presented by the state. Chief Parliamentary Secretary Sunder Singh Thakur, Chief Minister’s Principal Adviser Ram Subhag Singh and senior officers of the state government attended the meeting.