Supreme Court Rules in Favour of Himachal in Karcham Wangtoo Project Case — State to Receive 18% Royalty

Shimla, 17 July:
In a significant legal victory for Himachal Pradesh, the Supreme Court has ruled that the state will now receive 18% royalty—up from the current 12%—from the Karcham Wangtoo hydroelectric project located in Kinnaur district. This decision is expected to bring the state an additional annual revenue of approximately ₹250 crore.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu welcomed the verdict, stating that the Congress government has been consistently fighting for Himachal’s rightful dues, and this outcome is a direct result of those efforts.

The Chief Minister also pointed to the earlier win in the Wildflower Hall hotel case, calling both decisions a testament to the government’s firm resolve and legal strategy.

Speaking on recent natural disasters that have caused extensive damage across the state, Sukhu shared that he has met with key central ministers—including Home Minister Amit Shah, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, and Health Minister JP Nadda—to seek support. He requested the Home Minister to personally visit the disaster-affected areas and urged the Finance Minister to raise the state’s borrowing limit.

The state has also formally requested a disaster relief package from the Centre and appealed for relaxations under the Forest Conservation Act (FCA). According to the Chief Minister, the central ministers assured all possible assistance to the state.

On the High Court’s directive regarding the removal of encroachments from forest land, Sukhu noted that the government had presented its case in court, but its arguments were not considered. As a result, the state is now contemplating approaching the Supreme Court. He clarified that the government does not support the cutting of fruit-bearing trees and is seeking additional time for the auction process.

Regarding his recent meeting with Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge, the Chief Minister clarified that it was personal in nature and had nothing to do with organizational matters. He reiterated that the government’s current focus is on providing relief to disaster-hit families and horticulturists.