Power development in the State remains much talked about as well as criticised subject. Despite dragging it to the public domain, sometimes viciously, the PDD seems to be unable to remedy some of the crisis facing it and having a bearing on the consumers. The Government does not lag behind in claiming that steps are being taken to make the State self-reliant in the matter of power, yet the truth on the ground hardly endorses the position taken by the Government. It is one thing to say that we have abundant water in the city and we are capable of generating 20,000 MW of power and it is another thing to raise resources to utilize the water resources and the technical knowhow for reducing the cost of transmission and distribution (T&D).
There are at least nine power generating projects in the State hanging fire for the sake of funding. The State has no resources to fund these and the Centre, too, has its limitations. Although these power projects have been identified as Hanu HEP and 9 MW Dah HEP both in Leh district, 37.5 MW Parnai in Poonch, 48 MW Lower Kalnai in Doda, 93 MW New Ganderbal in Ganderbal district, 330 MW Kishanganga in Bandipore district, 850 MW Ratle in Kishtwar, 12.5 MW Mandi in Poonch and 12 MW Bonyar in Baramulla, yet the take off stage never came. Nobody can predict when the projects would be taken in hand.
Apart from this the Government’s performance on bringing down Transmission and Distribution (T&D) and Aggregate Technical and Commercial (AT&C) losses has remained dismal.
Situation with other eight projects be it the 37.5 MW Parnai Hydroelectric Project coming up in Poonch or the 93 MW New Ganderbal project. As regards reduction in T&D expenditures, Government may consider reduction of 6% in T&D and AT&C losses as major achievement but as per the Government of India and experts the present losses are still at higher side.
In final analysis we find that the PDD has a lot to do to improve power supply in the State. TheGovernment must infuse energy and activism in the PDD to make best use of the funds provided and opportunities made available. It has to improve its functionality.
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