Will release funds, if board shares spend details, says minister

Punjab Water Resources Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal on Wednesday said his government was ready to release funds to the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), provided the body shared its accounts with the state.

The minister made the remarks talking to The Tribune at Nangal, where he had arrived to take part in a protest by ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) workers against the board’s decision to release additional water to Haryana.

The BBMB Employees’ Union had on Tuesday accused Punjab of not releasing its share of funds to the water regulatory body since January.

Responding to that, Goyal said Punjab contributed 60 per cent of the total BBMB budget, but the board authorities refused to share their expenditure accounts with the government despite repeated reminders.

“We are ready to contribute our share to the BBMB budget, but the board authorities should also tell as to where the money is being spent,” he said.

The minister alleged that some board officials were “misusing funds provided by the partner states”. Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan are the four partner states that are involved in the management, maintenance and operation of Bhakra and Nangal dams.

The minister, however, did not clarify which partner states he was referring to.