SHIMLA-  Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has made a fervent appeal to Union Power Minister R.K. Singh, seeking a time-bound transfer of the Shanan Hydroelectric Project to Himachal Pradesh, raising concerns about its lease period set to expire in March 2024.

Clarifying the matter, Chief Minister Sukhu highlighted that the ownership rights of the Shanan project do not belong to the Punjab Government, as it was only leased to them.

He underscored the urgency of resolving this issue, as it holds significant implications for the state's power sector.

Encouragingly, Union Power Minister R.K. Singh has assured the Chief Minister of addressing all the pertinent issues promptly, but he did not give any deadline.

In a bid to further strengthen the state's power infrastructure, Chief Minister Sukhu has also urged the Union Government to develop a specialized scheme for facilitating hydropower projects with a capacity of less than 25 MW in Himachal Pradesh.

The proposed scheme aims to boost investment and expedite the growth of such projects in the region.

The Union Power Minister has responded positively, assuring the Chief Minister of an upcoming scheme tailored to the interests of project developers.

During the meeting, discussions also revolved around the sale of free power. Chief Minister Sukhu highlighted the importance of this issue and its impact on the state's power sector.

Sympathetically considering the matter, Union Power Minister R.K. Singh has promised to review the issue with due diligence.

Furthermore, Chief Minister Sukhu emphasized the need for incentives to enhance the competitiveness of Himachal Pradesh in producing Green Hydrogen, paralleling the state's efforts in promoting Solar power.

He also highlighted the state government's initiatives to encourage the usage of Electric Vehicles. Additionally, it was disclosed that Himachal Pradesh has set an ambitious target of generating 500 MW of Solar power by the end of the financial year 2023-24.