Chandigarh/Shimla, Jan. 7 -- Punjab on Tuesday hit out at the Congress-led Himachal Pradesh government for imposing a 2% land revenue levy on hydel power projects in the state terming it 'illegal.'

Water resources minister Barinder Kumar Goyal, in a press conference, said that the financial burden of nearly Rs.500 crore on the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), is a 'brazen assault on federal principles and a direct conspiracy against Punjab's interests'.

The Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), which operates two mega hydel projects, Bhakra Dam and Pong Dam in Himachal Pradesh, is expected to pay around Rs.436 crore annually, while Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited (SJVN), another key player in hydel power in the state, will have to sh...