Power ministry ends permanent representation of Punjab, Haryana on Bhakra Beas Board

Speaking to The Indian Express, Harminder Singh Chugh, Member (Power), BBMB, confirmed the development. “The notification for the change in rules has been issued. Now the appointments of Member Power and Member Irrigation can be from any state,” he said. When asked if comments from Punjab and Haryana governments had been sought before making the change, he said he did not have any information about it.

Following the reorganisation of Punjab in 1966, Punjab and Haryana were allocated a share of 58:42 in power projects related to BBMB. Later, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh were also given a share.

On Friday, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) termed the move as a direct attack on the rights of Punjab.

In a statement issued from the party headquarters on Friday, the party’s state president, MP and Chief Ministerial candidate, Bhagwant Mann, said that the Modi government and the BJP had outdone even the Congress in the matter of robbing the rights of the states. “It is also a direct blow to India’s federal system,” said Mann.

In a statement issued on Friday, Mann strongly condemned the step of the Central government and urged the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to review all previous “anti-Punjab decisions”, including the latest one, and restore the rights of Punjab.

According to Bhagwant Mann, “The Union Government should refrain from taking arbitrary decisions in the BBMB rules and abandon the step motherly attitude towards Punjab and stop its loot. BBMB is the management on the ground of Punjab and conspiracies were hatched to oust Punjab.”

Mann said that the BJP and Congress governments at the Centre are not the only ones responsible for the decline of Punjab’s status in the management of BBMB. He held Punjab’s other political parties, Congress and Akali Dal, and their leaders equally responsible and said that these politicians never look beyond their selfish agendas and Punjab was being made to suffer its repercussions.

He said that after the announcement of the mandate of people of Punjab in favour of Aam Aadmi Party on March 10, all the issues related to the rights of Punjab would be taken up seriously with the Central Government and the interests of Punjab would be safeguarded in all respects.