Northlines Correspondent
Jammu Tawi, Jan 03: In a historic moment for energy sufficiency in Jammu and Kashmir, Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) were today signed for implementation of much awaited Mega Hydro Power projects, including 850 MW Ratle HEP and 930 MW Kirthai-II HEP, besides execution of long pending Sawalkot HEP (1856 MW), Uri-I (Stage-II) (240 MW) and Dulhasti (Stage-II) (258 MW), to make J&K a power surplus region in the country.
The MoUs were signed between Power Development Department (PDD), J&K; National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) Ltd. and J&K Power Development Corporation , in the presence of Shri Raj Kumar Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Ministry of Power, New & Renewable Energy and Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship; Shri Manoj Sinha, Lieutenant Governor of J&K and Dr. Jitendra Singh, MoS, PMO, Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space.
The occasion also witnessed inauguration of as many as 19 important projects of PDD aimed at greater generation, efficient transmission and better distribution of power supply in J&K during the Mega inauguration ceremony.
Speaking on the occasion, the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Ministry of Power, New & Renewable Energy, Shri Raj Kumar Singh assured extending every support of the GoI to the J&K Government for various reforms in the power sector.
Hydro electric potential successfully ushered the era of development in various states including Sikkim & Himachal Pradesh. J&K should replicate the model. According to national average, electricity in rural areas is 20 hrs and in urban areas is 22-23 hrs. J&K too will reach the milestone if the pace of development is kept the same, he added.
Locals will be trained and given employment in NHPC ventures; besides NHPC will see for development of small hydro projects also, he maintained. We have to do our bit of duty to see electricity reaching every household 24×7, said the Union MoS.
During his address, the Lt Governor, Manoj Sinha observed that the MoUs signed today would attract investments worth Rs 35,000 crore for Jammu & Kashmir power sector and ensuring the region's energy security and 24-hour power supply to the people of J&K.
“J&K is taking a quantum leap from being power deficit to becoming power surplus in the next four years. For uninterrupted power supply, this is the most significant move by the J&K government”, said the Lt Governor.
As per the provisions of these MoUs, the projects will be handed over back to Jammu and Kashmir after 40 years of commercial operation which was not in case of earlier projects allotted to NHPC Limited, he remarked.
Speaking on tapping the full potential of hydro energy, the Lt Governor observed that the vision of the Government is to effectively harness hydro energy resources of J&K with a goal to double the energy generation by 2024 and also to prepare a strategy for efficiency through policies, monitoring mechanism to ensure energy security for economic and social benefits.
Hydro electricity would be a major contributor to the world's energy security in view of the global shift towards sustainable energy and reduction of carbon emissions. Our efforts are steering Jammu & Kashmir towards its energy sufficient and empowered future, he added.
The Lt Governor said that the numerous hydro resources of Jammu & Kashmir are capable of generating 14,867 MW power but the potential had not been fully exploited, and only 3504 MW power was being generated till now. The works started now will ensure that another 3498 MW power is generated in the next three to four years.
The potential which was achieved in 70 years would now be doubled within the next four years only, maintained the Lt Governor.
J&K's journey from a power deficit to a power surplus region can only be realized with vision and planning. Entire overhaul is being made possible with the support of the Central Government without any expenditure by the UT administration, the Lt Governor remarked.
Out of the two agreements, the NHPC would work in association with the administration at the first and, the languishing Sawalkot project would be handed over to NHPC for completion under the second. The project has been perpetually postponed since its conception in 1984 and was expected to generate 1856 MW power, he added.
Underscoring the significance of clean, affordable and reliable energy as key factors for growth of industries, businesses and society, the Lt Governor said that the UT Government is working on environmentally sustainable solar plants to augment renewable energy generation while reviving small hydro projects pending for a long time.
Jammu & Kashmir was deliberately prevented from attracting investments and despite having abundant potential of power generation; its energy needs were not addressed. With the execution of new mega power projects, a number of other employment avenues would be generated for the locals. In addition to power generation, strengthening its distribution and transmission infrastructure would also receive our equal efforts, the Lt Governor maintained.
Highlighting various measures taken by the Government to streamline power supply across the UT, the Lt Governor said that during the ‘winter preparation' meeting conducted last year, efforts were made to ensure that except for the scheduled power cuts, the public gets regular power supply. Any disruption in power supply was directed to be rectified within minimum time and a customer care centre was also set up for the purpose in Kashmir division last month. A similar centre was also launched in Jammu division today.
Replacement of faulty transformers has been a serious issue and therefore, a deadline of 24 hours has been set, in case of urban areas, and 48 hours in case of villages, within which the transformers are to be replaced. Although, we are supplying 15% more power in comparison to last year, still a lot needs to be done to achieve the desired results, he maintained.
On unscheduled power cuts, the Lt Governor said that he is monitoring the issue of unscheduled power cuts regularly. He also appreciated the efforts of PDD officers and officials for braving the weather and visiting problematic areas and resolving the power issues.
The quantum leap, from being power deficit to power surplus, being taken by the UT administration in power generation is dedicated to the public. I also assure that we remain steadfast in resolution of power woes of the people of Jammu & Kashmir, said the Lt Governor.
The Lt Governor said that the year 2021 has been given a stupendous start as the UT administration signed various MoUs for the development of Jammu & Kashmir, which include MoU with NAFED to bring reforms in the horticulture sector, for high density plantations, cold storage cluster, market linkage and GI tagging of local products including the announcement of Rs 2200 cr investment in the UT by NAFED.
All issues inherited from past regimes would be addressed meritoriously taking care of all the stakeholders. J&K will see a new dawn of energy sufficiency and thereby development in all sectors, he added.
In his welcome address, Principal Secretary, Power Development Department, Rohit Kansal gave an overview of the hydropower potential of J&K. He said that the initiative will add more than 3500 MW of energy and will thus help J&K become power surplus UT. We have a natural advantage in hydropower, so we need to exploit it for the benefit of the people, he added.
Screening of film on Hydropower in J&K was one of the main highlights of the event. A video on various activities in the Power Sector in J&K by PDD was also screened on the occasion.
The projects inaugurated today during mega inauguration ceremony include – 24X7 e-Customer Care /Call-Centre for Jammu region to receive complaints and queries related to electricity supply and billing from general public; On boarding of Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS); 33/11 KV 10 MVA Sub Station at Anchidora, Khrew-II,Uri town , Bagh-i-Islam, Choon Budgam, Changmulla; 2×10 MVA 33/11 KV Sub Station Canal –II and 10 MVA 33/11 KV Sub Station Udhaywalla; Additional 50 MVA Transformer at Barn , Draba and Siot Grid Stations; Augmentation of 132/33 KV Grid Station Magam from 50 MVA to 100 MVA; Completion works in 19 IPDS towns of Bijbehara circle, Kashmir; Commissioning of 320 and 100 MVA transformers at Grid Station Alusteng . The dignitaries also flagged off a Bill distribution vehicle for Bill distribution and online payment at Village level.
Members of Parliament- Sh. Jugal Kishore Sharma and Sh. Shamsher Singh Manhas; Sh. Chander Mohan Gupta, Mayor, JMC; Sh. Baseer Ahmad Khan, Advisor to the Lt Governor; Sh. SN Sahai, Union Secretary Power; Sh. BVR Subrahmanyam, Chief Secretary; Sh. Abhay Kumar Singh, Chairman & Managing Director, NHPC; Shri Suresh Kumar, Chairman Chenab Valley Power Projects Limited (CVPPL); Sh. A.K. Choudhary, Managing Director, CVPPL; Sh. Raja Yaqoob Farooq, Managing Director, JKPDC were present on the occasion.
Prominent among others, Former Ministers, ex-Legislators; Administrative Secretaries; Senior Officers of Civil and Police Administration and other senior officers of Government of India, J&K and CPSUs like NHPC, REC & PGCIL were also present.
- Liberal funding to make JK power-surplus soon: Union Minister
Jammu Tawi, Jan 03
Stating that Jammu and Kashmir is a challenge as far as providing round-the-clock electricity to consumers is concerned, Union minister R K Singh on Sunday said the Centre would spend “liberally” to tap the immense potential of the Union Territory in the sector to make it a power-surplus region.
However, he said a conducive atmosphere to facilitate large-scale investments and improving the work culture are imperative to bring Jammu and Kashmir at par with other parts of the country, after it lagged behind due to “corruption” during the previous regimes.
“It is painful that Jammu and Kashmir, despite having the best available resources in the country to generate power, is lagging behind in providing round-the-clock electricity to consumers…the previous governments are directly responsible for the present state of affairs,” Singh said.
The Union minister of state for power was speaking after the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Jammu and Kashmir government and the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) for the implementation of the 850-MW Ratle HEP and 930-MW Kirthai-II HEP and the execution of the Sawalkot HEP (1,856 MW), Uri-I (Stage-II-240 MW) and Dulhasti (Stage-II-258 MW) power projects, worth Rs 34,000 crore, here.
Singh also said there is no other place in the country where barbed wire is being used to provide electricity to consumers.
“The lack of development over the past seven decades is because of the previous governments. They should be held accountable as to where the money pumped by the Centre had gone. Compared to other places in the country, Jammu and Kashmir was getting more funds, but the centrally-sponsored schemes saw very slow progress,” he said.
Without naming anyone, he alleged that leaders of political parties have deceived people to fill up their coffers, build mansions in London, Rome and Paris but left Jammu and Kashmir backward.
Singh said electricity is key for the development of any region. “Without power, you cannot move ahead. Power is the fundamental requirement to improve quality of life and industrialisation…if you do not have power, you cannot achieve development and if there is no development, you would not be able to generate employment,” he said.
Singh said when he took over as the power minister and came to Jammu and Kashmir in October 2017, he was surprised to see that the work on centrally-sponsored schemes like the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana had not started even after a lapse of three years.
“Various such schemes are yet to be completed. We need to improve the work culture and speed up the work on these schemes, which are meant for the benefit of people,” he said.
The minister said Jammu and Kashmir has the resources and potential to achieve surplus power generation.
“There is a need to create an atmosphere where people from outside will come for investments here. The Centre will spend liberally to make Jammu and Kashmir a power-surplus region,” Singh said.
He said the Union Territory is a challenge as far as providing round-the-clock power to consumers is concerned.
“We will improve the power supply to the consumers and are working in this direction. The Union Territory status to Jammu and Kashmir has sped up development in the region and we are hopeful of achieving our target,” Singh said.
However, he said people will have to pay for electricity in accordance with their consumption. “There will be no free power and you will be able to switch it on only when you pay for it,” he said.
The minister lauded Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha for his efforts to fast-track development projects to bring Jammu and Kashmir at par with other parts of the country and said it is the responsibility of everyone to strengthen his efforts.
“Why people from outside are not willing to come here is a question that needs an answer. We need to think over it. You have to allow them to work here and work together for the creation of such an atmosphere so that they can come and invest,” he said.
Singh said the Centre will not allow funds to become an impediment in the completion of projects.
“As demanded by the LG, we have no problem in providing services to our officers and companies. Companies like the NHPC will outsource contracts to outsiders and you have to allow them to work here in a conducive atmosphere,” he said.
Advising the Jammu and Kashmir Power Development Department (PDD) to improve the work culture, the minister said it is imperative to take electricity to every household.
“In the past, decisions were taken by previous governments that smelled of corruption. Many projects were given to private parties and they need to be asked for it,” he said.
Referring to the MoU signed in his presence, Singh said Jammu and Kashmir will become an energy-surplus region after the completion of the projects.
“When you start selling 3,000 to 4,000 MW of power to other states, your income will increase by Rs 8,000 crore, which will pave the way for the construction of roads, hospitals and schools,” he said.
Singh said the NHPC will employ local youngsters in the projects and also provide training to them.
“It is imperative that there should be a robust billing system and metre system in place,” he added.
When the Narendra Modi-led government took over in 2014, the rural areas in the country used to get electricity for 18 hours and a half, which has now improved to 20 hours per day, while the urban areas are getting it for 22-23 hours and 80 per cent of the towns are getting round-the-clock power supply.
“This type of development is possible here as well, but you have to change. We will ensure 24-hour power supply to consumers in Jammu and Kashmir and till this is achieved, I will feel that my work is incomplete. This is our responsibility and we will do it,” he said.
