By IANS,
Chandigarh : Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal Friday demanded that a power house, located in his state but currently under the control of Punjab, should be transferred to the hill state.
Raising the issue at the Northern Zonal Council meeting here, which was presided over by union Home Minister P. Chidambaram, Dhumal said the demand to transfer Shanan power house located in Jogindernagar in Mandi district was a long-pending issue of the state.
He said an agreement for setting up the project came into effect between the government of Punjab and the erstwhile ruler of Mandi March 3, 1925.
“The central government, while issuing the notifications regarding apportionment of assets, rights and liabilities under the provisions of the Punjab Reorganization Act of 1966, had erroneously allocated the Shanan project to Punjab on May 1, 1967,” he said.
Demanding regular helicopter service in the state to ensure easy accessibility, especially in the snow-bound areas, the chief minister said the state had been requesting the central government for subsidising helicopter service in the state on the pattern of northeastern states.
He also raised the demand to hike the import duty on apple and designate apple as a ‘special product’ to benefit the apple growers in the state.
On the demand for four-laning of the Parwanoo-Shimla highway, Chidambaram assured the state that the National Highway Authority would be asked to look into it on priority.