SHIMLA: Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister urged the Asian Development Bank to provide liberal funds for various developmental projects of the State and be a partner in the progress of hilly State.

He was talking to the delegation of Asian Development Bank Appraisal Mission headed by its Mission Leader Andrew Jeffries accompanied by  Thevakumar Kandiah, Director Energy, South Asia Regional Department, Neside Tas Anvaripour, Senior Finance Specialist, Hirok Kobayashi, Energy Specialist and Clifford Brown who were visiting the State under Himachal Pradesh Clean Energy Development Investment Programme and called on him here Tuesday to apprise of the latest developments in ADB funding to the State.

Chief Minister said that the State would welcome active participation of the ADB in all developmental projects, especially in exploitation of the identified hydel potential with ecological safeguards.

He said that State was taking extra care in protecting its environment and maintaining the ecological balance. He said that all anti environment and polluting activities had been banned and effective steps initiated to preserve the ecology of the State.

He informed the ADB delegation that the State was not permitting any anti environment activity. He said that State had most valuable forest wealth estimated at Rs. 1.5 lakh crore which was helping in maintaining ecological balance in the States of North India.

He said that with the ban on green felling, the green cover had increased substantially registering an increase in hundreds of kilometers of new forests.

Dhumal thanked the ADB authorities for sanctioning Rs. 800 crore to the State for undertaking execution of the Kashang and Sawra Kuddu hydro electric projects.

He said that the State was keen to exploit the entire identified hydel potential expeditiously so that the natural potential available in the State could generate revenue to the State exchequer and help the State carry forward its developmental activities.

He said that State would explore possibilities of more cooperation with the Asian Development Bank for its developmental endeavours.

He said that limited sources of income and its entire economy was based on the hydro potential like natural sources which needed to be exploited to the optimum to benefit the State generate revenue. He said that the agencies like ADB could be helpful to the State in harnessing the same.

He added that State had experienced engineers who had contributed significantly in construction of a number of major hydel projects in the State and Joint sectors and their services were of vital importance for harnessing the remaining hydel potential.

He requested the ABD Mission to complete its codal formalities to release the fund of Rs. 800 crore for the execution of the Kashang and Sawra Kuddu hydro electric projects in the State sector. He assured the Mission of full cooperation of the State Government in finalization of the agreement required to release the amount.

Tarun Kapoor, Managing Director, Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited introduced the Mission to the Chief Minister and purpose of its visit to the State.

He said that the modalities to sign the agreement with the ADB authorities were being finalized and discussions with various concerned authorities of the State Government were being held to derive positive conclusions.

Mission Leader Andrew Jeffries discussed various issues relating to the ADB funding with the Chief Minister and assured him of early completion of codal formalities.

He also apprised the Chief Minister of the conditions of the funding and benefits to be delivered to the State. He emphasized the need for protection of the environment, which was the most valuable property of the State.

He said that he would issue directions to Punjabi police officers for not allowing Haryana police in Punjab without their permission. He said that Haryana Police should come to Punjab police first and should asked Punjab police for investigation of any person.

Punjab police will handover the person to them only after Punjab police be satisfied that person required found as accused in any case, he added.