Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB)

• IAS NEXT, Lucknow
• 01, Mar 2022

Reference News:-

The Union Power Ministry has made an amendment to the rules governing the appointment of Member Power and Member Irrigation on Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) from Punjab and Haryana, respectively, thereby removing the stipulation that these two appointments need to be filled from the two states only.

Latest changes:

• Posts of Member Power and Member Irrigation have so far been occupied by officials from Punjab & Haryana, respectively.
• Under the new rules notified by the Ministry of Power, officials from other states are now eligible.
• The two members are appointed by the central government after selection from a panel of engineers forwarded to the Ministry of Power by the respective states.

Criticisms:

• Change in the rules has kicked up a controversy, with a section of stakeholders averring the new criteria makes it difficult for aspirants from Punjab to get selected.
• It is also being averred by some employees of the Board that since the organisation is dealing with water management in the aforementioned states, full-time members ought to be drawn from these states as they will have a better understanding of local issues and technicalities.

Sharing between the states:

Following the reorganisation of Punjab in 1966, Punjab and Haryana were allocated a share of 58:42 in power projects related to BBMB. Later, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh were also given a share.

About the Bhakra Beas Management Board:

On Reorganisation of the erstwhile state of Punjab on 1st November, 1966, Bhakra Management Board (BMB) was constituted under section 79 of the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966.

The administration, maintenance and operation of Bhakra Nangal Project were handed over to Bhakra Management Board w.e.f. 1st October 1967.

• The Beas Project Works, on completion, were transferred by Government of India from Beas Construction Board (BCB) to Bhakra Management Board as per the provisions of Section 80 of the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966.
• Pursuant to this Bhakra Management Board was renamed as Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB)e.f. 15th May 1976.
• Since then, the Bhakra Beas Management Board is dedicated to the service of the nation and is engaged in regulation of the supply of Water & Power from Bhakra Nangal and Beas Projects to the states of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi and Chandigarh.
• It is a statutory body.

Functions:

1. The regulation of supply of water from Satluj, Ravi and Beas to the States of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan.
2. The regulation and supply of power generated from Bhakra-Nangal and Beas Projects.
3. Construction of new Hydro Projects within and outside BBMB System. 

History of Bhakra Nangal Dam:

• The Bhakra-Nangal dam is one of the earliest river valley development schemes undertaken after the independence of India.
• The project was signed by then Punjab Revenue Minister Sir Chhotu Ram in November 1944 with the king of Bilaspur and was finalised on January 8, 1945.
• The construction of the multipurpose dam was initially started by the then Lieutenant Governor of Punjab, Sir Louis Dane.
• But, it got delayed and it was resumed after independence under the chief Architect Rai Bahadur Kunwar Sen Gupta.
• The dam was completed in 1963, and it was dedicated to the nation by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.

Features of the dam:

The Bhakra dam is built on Sutlej River.

It is Asia’s second tallest dam with a height of around 207.26 meters after the Tehri dam, which has a height of around 261 meters. The Tehri dam is also situated in India in the state of Uttrakhand.

• The Gobind Sagar reservoir of the dam has a capacity to store water up to 9.34 billion cubic meters.