Hydropower sector crucial for economy: Mehbooba

Tribune News service

Srinagar, October 22

The 72nd meeting of the Board of Directors of the Jammu & Kashmir State Power Development Corporation (JKSPDC) was held at the civil secretariat today under the chairpersonship of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti.

In his presentation, the JKPDC MD informed the board about various ongoing projects of the corporation and the roadmap for augmenting power generation in the state. The corporation is looking after 23 hydropower projects with a total installed capacity of 1,211.96 MWs besides four independent power projects of 42.5 MWs. Four projects are under implementation with a capacity of 103.5 MWs and three major projects with an expected generation capacity of 3,176 MWs are in the pipeline.

Dheeraj Gupta, Commissioner Secretary, PDD, briefed the board regarding various ambitious projects, like 1,850 MW Sawalakote, 390 MW Kirthai-I and 930 MW Kirthai-II, which are at an advanced stage of appraisal with the Central Electricity Authority.

The CM stressed on the critical importance of hydropower sector to the state economy and emphasised that the work on the ongoing projects as well as the exploration of new projects, would have to be pursued vigorously. She further instructed that decision-making with respect to allotment and execution of power projects should be time-bound.

In a major decision, the long-pending contract allotment issue of the 93-MW New Ganderbal Hydropower Project was discussed and it was decided that the matter would be referred to the state Cabinet.