Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], May 22 (ANI): Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu met Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil in New Delhi on Thursday to discuss key water resource projects concerning the state.

The chief minister advocated for the protection of state's rights in the Kishau Hydro Electric Project and emphasised the need for a favourable funding pattern.

He said that the financial burden of the Kishau Project should be borne entirely either by the Government of India or by the major beneficiary states such as Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.

During the meeting, CM Sukhu also raised critical issues concerning the Renuka Dam project. He called for due consideration of the Local Area Development Fund and the free power component. He said that while hydro projects are essential for national development, the environmental and social impacts must also be addressed and the affected states should be fairly compensated.

Apart from this, the Chief Minister requested the early release of the pending amount under the Jal Jeevan Mission for the state.

Union Minister CR Patil assured CM Sukhu of all possible assistance and cooperation from the central government.

Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena; Principal Advisor to the Chief Minister, Ram Subhag Singh; Resident Commissioner, Meera Mohanty and Secretary to the Chief Minister Rakesh Kanwar were also present during the meeting.

Earlier on Wednesday, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to increase the import duty on apples from 50 per cent to at least 100 per cent to discourage the import of apples from Turkey and to safeguard the interests of the apple growers of the state.

He also urged that quantitative restrictions should be imposed on imported apples, an official release said.

In a letter to the Prime Minister, the Chief Minister said that Himachal Pradesh is known as the country's 'Apple Bowl' and is famous for producing delicious varieties of apples. The apple is the prime cash crop of the State and generates an income of about Rs. 4500 crores annually. He said that about 10 lakh man-days are generated due to the apple crop, thereby providing direct and indirect employment to more than 2.50 lakh families. (ANI)