SRINAGAR: The Committee on Public Undertakings of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, during a review meeting on Tuesday, was informed that only 3,500 MW of the Union Territory’s estimated 15,000 MW hydropower potential has been harnessed to date.
The meeting, held at the Assembly Complex in Srinagar, was chaired by senior legislator Ali Mohammad Sagar and attended by members Saifullah Mir, Ali Mohammad Dar, Baldev Raj Sharma, Shakti Raj Parihar, Ranbir Singh Pathania, Showkat Hussain Ganai, Saif Ud Din Bhat, and Tanvir Sadiq.
During the session, Principal Secretary of the Power Development Department, H. Rajesh Prasad, provided a detailed briefing on the region’s energy scenario, highlighting the considerable gap between potential and actual hydropower utilisation.
Committee Chairman Ali Mohammad Sagar emphasised the urgent need to expedite execution and ensure timely commissioning of all hydroelectric and power projects in the region. “Jammu and Kashmir is blessed with immense natural resources for power generation, but progress has been slow. It is imperative that we accelerate project delivery for public benefit,” he said.
He underlined that delays in implementation of power development projects must be addressed with accountability. “Responsibility should be fixed on the concerned companies or officers for any delay that causes inconvenience to the public,” he remarked.
The Chairman also called for comprehensive audit reporting and instructed officers to submit complete audit replies related to JKSPDC, reinforcing the Committee’s commitment to transparency and fiscal oversight. He further directed that the joint representation submitted by PSU employees be referred to the General Administration Department (GAD) for review and comments.
The meeting also stressed the need for corporation-wise review meetings to enhance coordination and implementation. Legislators present shared specific suggestions and raised concerns over bottlenecks within the power sector.
Senior officials including the Principal Accountant General of J&K, Director Generals of Accounts and Treasuries and Expenditure Finance Department, Managing Director of JKSPDC, Director Finance PDD, CEO JAKEDA, and others participated in the session.
