The BBMB Budget consisting of the revised Budget estimates for 1998-99 and the proposed Budget estimates for the year 1999-2000 was presented by Satish Loomba, Financial Adviser BBMB, to the budget committee today. The committee comprised senior officers from the irrigation, power and finance wings of state governments and state electricity boards.

The increase in establishment expenditure was due to a higher outgo on arrears of the pay revision than what was anticipated. The budget committee recommended, for approval by the Board members and for consequent inclusion in the budgets of various authorities, the revised budget estimates of Rs 337 crore as against original budget estimates of Rs 256 crore representing an increase to the tune of Rs 81 crore this year.

Explaining the position regarding next year, the Financial Adviser stated that the proposed Budget estimates for 1999-2000 in the BBMB were Rs 343 crores which included normal increase in pay and allowances and some new works like the renovation of the Pong power house and the construction of the state of art load despatch centre here. Satish Loomba explained that since BBMB distributes all the power that it generated to its partners, it had no other significant means of financing its expenditure and all states and state electricity boards were expected to contribute to the budget in the agreed ratios.

While welcoming the officers from its constituent bodies, R. N. Aggarwal, Member (Irrigation) stated that despite the fact that BBMB Projects were fast approaching a stage where heavy capital investments were required, on the whole excellent results were shown by the Board by generating more than 12,000 million units of energy at a total cost of nearly Rs 336 crore for 1998-99, which included expenditure attributable to the Irrigation Wing as well. The major expenditure on the works included the cost of renovation, modernisation and upgradation project of the Bhakra right bank power house and the commencement of similar works on the Ganguwal and Kotla canal power house.