STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Deputy Chief Minister Prof Nirmal Singh Friday said the alliance government is actively pursuing the return of power projects by Government of India to the J&K state.
He said J&KSPDC was authorised to workout the present cost of these projects on the basis of internationally accepted norms to form a basis for further negotiations with NHPC/GoI.
According to deputy CM,”J&KSPDC took up the matter with NHPC for furnishing of details for the purpose and despite repeated requests by J&KSPDC NHPC did not respond to these requests and did not provide the details”.
In the absence of details for NHPC, J&KSPDC tried to work out the cost on its own without formal involvement of NHPC by using the documents available in the public domain like audited balance sheets and Central Electricity Regulatory commission orders.
An independent consultant was hired by J&KSPDC for the purpose and based on these documents the consultant has calculated te present cost of SALAL,URI-I, DULHASTI,URI-II, SEWA II,NIMO BAZGO and CHUTAK hydro electric projects. The report of the consultant is under examination in the J&KSPDC.
On March 16,2015 deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister met the Union Power Minister formally and impressed upon the Union Government the need for transfer of power project of Dulhasti and Uri from NHPC to state among other important issues of power sector.
Deputy CM has raised this issue in the Power Ministers conference in Guwati in April 2015 and latest in Goa in June 2016.
JAMMU: Amid heated debate over power crisis in Jammu and Kashmir , the Legislative Assembly on Friday late evening passed the grants of the departments under the charge of Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Singh.
The House witnessed ruckus over the issue of grim power situation after National Conference MLA Devender Singh Rana referred to the frequent disruptions and hours long cuts in the supply. He particularly sought the status of various projects, launched during the tenure of the previous government and wanted to know how much energy has been generated by the Power Development Department.
Dr Nirmal Singh argued that the present PDP-BJP government had inherited the defunct power sector from the previous government which irked the National Conference. Rana said that the NC led government had launched 7000 MWcapacity power projects that have almost shelved by the present government. The Deputy Chief Minister pointed towards litigations in the execution of various projects but could not answer about the steps taken to supplement power supply.
MLA Udhampur Pawan Gupta also criticized the government for the power crisis.
This led to heated arguments between the opposition and the treasury benches despite interventions by the Minister Abdul Rehman Veeri and a PDP MLA. Not satisfied with the explanation given by the government over power crisis. the opposition staged walk-out at around 9:20 PM.
