Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh calls Sukhu upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on May 24, 2025.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Punjab and Himachal Pradesh Chief Ministers on Saturday (May 24, 2025) urged the Centre to provide special financial packages to address their respective States’ unique challenges, raising the issues during the 10th Governing Council meeting of the NITI Aayog in New Delhi.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann accused the Union Government of showing “step-motherly treatment” towards the State, alleging a “biased and discriminatory” approach that he termed “unwarranted and undesirable.”

Reiterating Punjab’s long-standing position on river water sharing, Mr. Mann asserted that the State has “no surplus water for any State”. He also criticised the Ministry of Power’s decision to deploy the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) at the Bhakra Nangal Dam, calling it “unnecessary and completely avoidable.” He argued that the move disturbs a “well-established operational setup” and further undermines Punjab’s rights over the dam infrastructure.

Mr. Mann demanded adequate representation of Punjab officers in the Chandigarh Administration, calling for restoration of the 60:40 ratio between Punjab and Haryana that, he said, had been “severely eroded” in recent years. “Chandigarh is the capital of Punjab and there is a well-established and time-honoured convention, since the reorganisation of the State of Punjab in 1966, to fill all civil posts in Chandigarh Administration from personnel drawn from Punjab and Haryana in the ratio of 60:40,” he noted.

Seeking parity with incentives provided to Jammu and Kashmir, Mr. Mann called for a special industrial package for Punjab’s border districts, citing disadvantage due to proximity with Pakistan. He urged the Centre to consider freight subsidies, tax relief, and the creation of agro-zones in the State to bolster local industry.

Meanwhile, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu called for a greater allocation of funds and relaxation of eligibility criteria in Central schemes, citing the special requirements of hill States. He also urged the Centre to release funds that have been pending “since long”.

“If the long pending dues were released by the Centre well in time, Himachal Pradesh will itself become self-reliant,” Mr. Sukhu said. He later met Prime Minister Narendra Modi separately to press for liberal financial assistance and early disbursement of dues owed to the State.