BHEL Water Works

One of the greatest challenges before the Government of India on attaining freedom in 1947 was to provide a strong base in infrastructure and capital goods for economic and industrial development. The Government under the leadership of Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru realized that there should be a large manufacturing base and adequate technically qualified personnel for sustained economic growth.

The country's planners recognized that adequate supply of electric power was a precondition for long term industrial growth. This could be sustained only with a strong domestic power equipment industry. Accordingly, the Planning Commission recommended initiating steps towards setting up a factory for the manufacture of all types of heavy electrical equipment required for various projects.

As a result, the Government of India signed an agreement on 17th November, 1955, with Associated Electrical Industries (AEI), UK, for the establishment of a factory at Bhopal complete in all respects for the manufacture of heavy electrical equipment in India. The company was registered as Heavy Electricals (India) Limited (HE(I)L) in the Public Sector under the Ministry of Industry and Commerce on 29th August, 1956.