25 new Small Hydro Electric Projects (SHEP) in JK

Srinagar, May 16: Announcing construction of 25 Small Hydro Electric Projects (SHEP), Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said electricity would be provided to every habitation in the state under Rajiv Gandhi Gramin Vidutikaran Yojana (RGGVY) and other centrally sponsored schemes.

Chairing the 46th meeting of Board of Directors of Jammu and Kashmir Power Development Corporation (PDC) here, Mr Azad said 18 small SHEP with a total capacity of 97 MW have been sanctioned out of 25 projects proposed by the state government under Independent Power Project scheme (IPP).

These projects with a capacity ranging from 1.20 MW up to 15 MW are being constructed in Gulbargh, Mawar, Boniyar, Arin, Sranz, Aroo, Bringi, Bhalla, Alalgard, Nihama, Girjan ki Gali, Phagla, Wangat and Chandanwari on the Pahalgam-Armarnath cave shrine route.

He said that introduction of triple shifts in the execution of ongoing hydel power projects is essential for not only completing these within the prescribed time-frame but also to eliminate cost escalation.

The Chief Minister said the power projects under IPP scheme and mini and micro hydel electric schemes must be undertaken under joint venture with private sector.

He said the power projects under RGGVY and other schemes should be framed only after proper survey and keeping in view the allocations to achieve tangible results.

Mr Azad said that to get allocations enhanced under RGGVY, he will take up the matter with Union Ministry of Power and also with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The meeting was informed that under RGGVY Rs 48 crores are being spent in Kupwara district and Rs 24 crore in Anantnag district for rural electrification. Five more districts of the state including Baramulla, Pulwama, Rajouri, Poonch and Doda are being covered under RGGVY for which project reports are in pipeline.

Under the Yojana, Rs 14.54 crore have been earmarked for Baramulla and Rs 19.25 crore for Pulwama districts, likewise Rs 29.61 crore for Rajouri, Rs 17.32 crore for Poonch and Rs 35.30 crore for Doda district have been set aside.

The meeting also reviewed the renovation and modernisation of lower Jhelum, upper Sindh, Chenani, Mahore and Ganderbal power projects.

UNI