Himachal govt cuts down lease period of power projects to 40 years, free power share increased

SHIMLA: In a major policy change, the Himachal Pradesh government has cut down the period of land lease to all hydro-power developers from 99 years to 40 years and also decided to raise the royalty from the power from 12 per cent to 15 per cent.

The state cabinet which met here on Tuesday granted approval for amendment in the ‘Swaran Jayanti Energy Policy’. Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu presided over the meeting.

The royalty share will be 15 per cent for the first 12 years, 20 per cent for the next 18 years, and 30 per cent for the remaining 10-year period.

“Thereafter, the project shall revert back to the State Government free of cost and free from all encumbrances and liabilities. However, the royalty payable to the State for an extended period will not be less than 50 percent”, said a government spokesman.

The cabinet decided to withdraw the relaxation given for staggered free power royalty in favour of SJVNL and NHPC for 210 MW Luhri Stage-I, 66 MW Dhaulasidh, 382 MW Sunni Dam, and 500 MW Dugar Hydro Electric Projects with immediate effect.

The Cabinet decided to rationalize the tariff of water cess to be charged from the Hydel Power Projects.

This was after some of the power developers raised their objections to the state government’s move to levy water cess on the power projects and asked for a review of the tariffs.

The cabinet gave its approval to enhance the financial assistance from Rs 65,000 to Rs 2 lakh under Himachal Pradesh Widow Remarriage Scheme. In another decision, the cabinet also gave its approval to enhance the support price of apple, mango, and citrus fruits being procured under the Market Intervention Scheme for the year 2023-24 in the

State.

Henceforth, the support price of apple and mango will be Rs 12 per kg instead of Rs 10.50. Additionally, the support price of ‘kinnow’, ‘malta’, and orange has been increased to Rs 12 per kg from Rs 9.50, whereas the support price of ‘galgal’ and lemon has been enhanced to Rs.10 from Rs 8 per kg.

Consent was given to increase the honorarium of Cook cum Helper under Mid Day Meal Yojna from 1st April 2023 to Rs. 500 per month, i.e. they will get Rs. 4,000 instead of existing Rs. 3500 per month, benefitting 21,431 individuals.

It also decided to enhance the wage rates under MGNREGS from Rs. 224 to Rs. 240 in non-tribal areas and Rs. 294 from Rs. 280 in tribal areas from 15th August, 2023.

The cabinet gave its consent to include Sanitary Workers of the State under the Ayushman Bharat Scheme to provide them with health insurance.

It decided to select and train 874 candidates as patwari and 16 chain-men to be deployed in the next five years in the State.