Harish Rao demands white paper on hydel projects planned in Himachal Pradesh

T. Harish Rao | Photo Credit: SIDDHANT THAKUR

HYDERABAD

Senior leader of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) T. Harish Rao has demanded that Deputy Chief Minister M. Bhatti Vikramarka, who holds the portfolios of Energy and Finance, publish a white paper on the 510 megawatt capacity hydro-electric power projects in Himachal Pradesh with an estimated cost of ₹6,200 crore after a foreign firm and NTPC had backed out.

In a statement, the former Minister said on Friday sought to know the rationale behind the State government’s decision to enter an agreement with the Congress government in HP for constructing the hydel projects by TG-Genco in unfeasible locations and which were likely to end up as white elephants. On the other hand, the government was stating on every dais that it was not getting loans.

Terming it a ‘Tuglaq act’, the BRS leader said well-known overseas company Moser Baer (now known as Hindustan Power Projects) had initially taken up the projects at Seli and Miyar in HP in 2009 by paying an upfront premium of ₹64 crore to that State government. However, it had cancelled the agreement after finding that the projects were not feasible both technically and financially and got back the amount paid along with interest after moving the High Court.

Later, NTPC had entered the scene but it too had backed out after three years after coming to a conclusion that the projects were not feasible. Now, the Telangana government has entered into an agreement with HP government by paying an upfront premium of ₹26 crore and with an assurance to pay another ₹26 crore later.

Mr. Harish Rao also demanded that the Congress high command reveal the understanding between the party governments in HP and Telangana in the matter of taking up the unfeasible hydel project.

Published - May 30, 2025 10:11 pm IST