Electrification of Ladakh by 2010: Jora

Leh, Sep 23 (UNI) Jammu and Kashmir Power Minister Nawang Rigzin Jora said the state government would take every possible step to improve the power situation in Ladakh region and complete its electrification by year 2010.

Mr Jora was addressing a gathering yesterday on the second day of the five-day-long Central Government's Bharat Nirman Programme in collaboration with other units of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting here at the Polo ground.

He said that electrification of all the remaining 62 villages would be completed by 2010 under the centrally sponsored scheme of Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana(RGGVY) at a cost of Rs 66.93 lakh. Under this scheme 35 villages in Leh district would be electrified at a cost of Rs 39 crores.

He said there are 240 inhabited villages in the region, of which 178 have been electrified so far. He said though the power situation in the region was not satisfactory, almost all the villages have been provided power supply either through diesel generator sets or solar power system.

The Minister said at present the demand for power in Ladakh region is 58.54 MW whereas only 16.19 MW is available, out of which 8.39 MW is diesel-based and 7.80 MW is through hydro-power.

The Power Ministry at the Centre introduced RGGVY in April, 2005, which aims at providing electricity in all left over villages and habitations in five years and access to electricity to all rural households. This programme has been brought under the ambit of Bharat Nirman.

Mr Jora also said Nimoo Bazgo (Alchi) project is scheduled to be commissioned by November 2010 with an estimated cost of Rs 611.01 crores. The project would also provide 14 MW power in winter months. The infrastructure work of the project is complete and the main work of the project will commence in october 2006.

UNI RKS AD MSJ RN1009