Eye on green state tag by ’26, Sukhu drives home point with e-vehicle ride

Presenting the budget, Sukhu said the government has envisaged the “Himachal Pradesh Power Sector Development Programme” costing Rs 2,000 crore. It will be launched with the help of the World Bank. Under this, there is a provision to construct solar power projects with a capacity of 200 MW and to construct 11 substations and two distribution lines serving 13 towns of the state. The discussions for signing the project and loan agreements with the World Bank are in the final stages and an MoU will be signed soon, he added.

The government has also decided that Himachal Pradesh will be developed as a ‘model state for electric vehicles’. Use of electric vehicles will be encouraged in a phased manner to reduce carbon emissions, with the collaboration of private and public sectors. In the first phase, at least six state highways will be converted into green corridors.

To further incentivise green vehicles, the private bus operators will be given a subsidy of 50 per cent with a maximum limit of Rs 50 lakh for the purchase of e-buses. The private truck operators will be given a subsidy of 50 per cent with a maximum limit of Rs 50 lakh for the purchase of e-trucks.

Further, the private operators will be given a subsidy of 50 per cent for establishing charging stations. A detailed work plan will be prepared for it in consultation with the State Electricity Board.

A stimulus will be given to exploit hydro power, an important form of green energy. Hydropower projects with a capacity of 1,000 MW will be completed in 2023-24. The work on Parvati-II, Tidong-I, Shelty Masrang and Lambadag will be completed soon, the CM said.

The construction of six EHV sub-stations at Kala Amb, Barshaini, Kangu, Palchaan, Dharampur, and Hilling, five transmission lines, and a ‘joint control centre’ will be completed by the HPTCL at a cost of Rs 464 crore.

A centralised cell will be set up for efficient management of sales and purchase of power to increase revenues.

The government has imposed a cess on hydro-power generation which will bring in a revenue of more than Rs 4,000 crore.

Earlier, while presenting the Budget, Sukhu said, “Himachal has performed better than many other States on different development indicators relating to education, health, and several other areas and has emerged as a model state for inclusive and equitable development.

Today, the challenge before us is not only to build good infrastructure in various sectors but also to provide quality services. Schools without teachers, hospitals without doctors, and offices without adequate staff cannot be ideal for the development of the state”.

The CM said that his government inherited debt and liability of about Rs 10,000 crore on account of arrears of salaries of employees and pensioners and DA from the previous government.

Revenue Deficit Grant (RDG) from the central government will reduce from Rs 9,377 crore in 2022-23 to Rs.3,257 crore in 2025-26.

“I request for cooperation from all the members of the House for making efforts to deal with the situation and to improve the fiscal health of the State. I also request maximum cooperation from the central government. I also appeal that the officers and employees of the state support us in the economic development of the state,” said Sukhu.