KL Report

SRINAGAR

The state government today said its plans to buy back Dulhasti, Salal and Uri-I project currently being operated by National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) in the state is under process.

Replying to a question by Abdul Rehman Veeri, the Peoples Democratic Party senior leader and MLA, the Minister informed that NHPC has realized revenue to the extent of Rs. 3834.59 crore from Jammu and Kashmir. Out of this amount the minister said Rs. 855.531 crores have been realized through Salal Project, Rs. 842.252 crores through Dulhasti and Rs. 2136.82 Crores through Uri, HEP from 1997-98 to 2012-13.

“The NHPC had sought the cabinet subcommittee report that we have handed over to the NHPC,” Vikar Rasool, the Minister of State for Power said in the state Legislative Assembly. While replying supplementary to a question on power, Rasool said the state government has sought depreciated value of the power projects and the details of the assets present therein.  “These details have not been provided by the NHPC so far. Once we get the depreciated costs of these projects, the government will take steps for arranging the money for buying back these projects,” he said.

Rasool said the state government has engaged consultants and carried out a detailed valuation of these projects also. The minister informed the House that on the recommendations of the Cabinet Sub Committee, Jammu and Kashmir State Power Corporation (JKPDC) is in process of working out the cost of the power projects like Dulhasti to transfer them back to the State Government.

Veeri however, stood up and questioned about the claims made by Taj Mohiudin, in capacity of the former irrigation and flood control minister about the revenue realization by the government which according to Taj would be incurred on buying back the power projects. Taj later informed the house that the state has earned Rs 925 crore from water usage charges levied on power projects.

“The NHPC has paid Rs 700 crore while the State Power Development Corporation has paid the remaining amount. The earning will increase by another Rs 210 crore with the commissioning of the Uri-II power project,” Taj said.

Sources said that the PDD has not moved ahead on return of power projects since the Cabinet approved the subcommittee report on the subject. “The PDD is no saying it will work out the depreciated costs of these projects. Nothing has been done since the cabinet approved subcommittee report on the subject. What happened to another committee which was framed to look into the legal modus operandi to buy back these projects, nobody knows,” well placed sources said in the government.

Rasool also said that for the improvement of High Tension and Low Tension network the Government has allocated one crore rupees to each district which also would cater to the problem of Veeri’s Constituency. He said that construction of 1×6.3 MVA Receiving Station costing Rs. 205.72 lakh has been recently cleared by TEC and work would be taken up after availability of funds.

Rasool said the improvement of HT/LT network and damaged transformers in all the area is a continuous process and is being attended to in a phased manner within the available sources of funding which includes CDF grants besides State, District Plans and CSS programmes.

 

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here