Kishau Project a Major Achievement of Modi Government; Is Himachal CM Desperate to Claim Credit? Anurag Singh Thakur
Modi Government Ends Six-Decade-Long Deadlock Over Kishau Multipurpose Project: Anurag Singh Thakur
Centre to Bear 90% of Project Cost; Congress Must Explain Why It Failed to Resolve the Issue for 50–60 Years: Anurag Singh Thakur
Modi Government’s Efforts Pave the Way for Water and Energy Security for Future Generations: Anurag Singh Thakur
Shimla, September 16, 2026: Former Union Minister and Member of Parliament from Hamirpur, Anurag Singh Thakur, while reacting to the resolution of the six-decade-long deadlock over the Kishau Multipurpose Project, said that successive Congress governments at the Centre and in Himachal Pradesh had come and gone without resolving the long-pending issues surrounding the project. However, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Central Government has successfully brought the matter towards resolution through dialogue, consensus and cooperation among the participating states.
Thakur said, "Under the directions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah and Union Jal Shakti Minister C. R. Patil took the initiative to hold discussions with the Chief Ministers of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan and Delhi to resolve the long-standing differences concerning the Kishau Multipurpose Project."
Expressing gratitude for the agreement, Thakur said, "I extend my heartfelt gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah, Union Jal Shakti Minister C. R. Patil, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma and Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta for their contributions towards this unanimous decision."
He stated that the six participating states signed an agreement on September 15, 2026, paving the way for the implementation of the Kishau Multipurpose Project.
"Several Congress governments ruled at the Centre and in the states over the past six decades, yet they failed to resolve the outstanding issues concerning this important project. It is the Modi Government that has taken the initiative to resolve this long-pending matter," Thakur said.
Centre to Bear 90% of Project Cost; Financial Burden on Himachal Pradesh to Be Reduced
Highlighting the financial arrangements, Thakur said that the Kishau Multipurpose Project has been accorded the status of a National Project, under which the Central Government will bear approximately 90 percent of the project cost, while the remaining 10 percent will be shared by the participating states.
He further stated that an arrangement has also been reached for other participating states to share the financial burden associated with Himachal Pradesh's share of the electricity component, thereby reducing the financial liability of the hill state.
"The Kishau Project is not merely a dam or a hydropower project. It is a major initiative linked to water security, irrigation, drinking water supply and environmental conservation across northern India," Thakur said.
He added that, according to the Central Government, the project aims to provide irrigation facilities to approximately 97,000 hectares of agricultural land and generate around 1,476 million units of clean hydropower.
Chief Minister Must Acknowledge the Collective Contribution of the Centre and Participating States
Criticising Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu over the issue of political credit, Thakur alleged that the Chief Minister was attempting to portray a collective achievement involving six states as his personal political accomplishment.
"It is unfortunate that an agreement involving the interests of six states, achieved through the leadership and coordination of the Central Government, is being presented by the Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister as an individual political achievement. Is the Chief Minister so desperate to claim credit that he is unwilling to acknowledge the contribution of the Centre and other participating states?" Thakur questioned.
He further asked why successive Congress governments had failed to resolve the matter over the past five to six decades if the issue could have been settled through political will, dialogue and cooperation.
"When a project remained stalled for nearly six decades and the Central Government finally brought all the concerned states together to reach a consensus, competing for political credit is inappropriate. The contribution of every stakeholder must be recognised," he said.
Thakur described the agreement as an example of cooperative federalism, stating that the Central Government had worked towards addressing the concerns of all participating states through dialogue and consensus.
He said that instead of engaging in narrow political considerations, the focus should remain on the interests of Himachal Pradesh, the other participating states and future generations.
Kishau Project to Strengthen Long-Term Water and Energy Security
Thakur said that the agreement on the Kishau Multipurpose Project represents an important step towards addressing the long-term water, irrigation and electricity requirements of northern India.
He reiterated that the Central Government, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, had worked through dialogue and coordination to resolve the long-standing differences surrounding the project.
"The determination and spirit of cooperation demonstrated by the Central Government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi have paved the way for the Kishau Project to move forward. This initiative will play an important role in securing water resources, strengthening energy security and supporting development for future generations," Thakur concluded.