Project will boost power generation: Dr Jitendra
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 7: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) today approved the investment sanction for construction of Kiru Hydro Electric Project over river Chenab in Kishtwar district of Jammu region by Chenab Valley Power Projects Private Limited (CVPPL).
The decision was taken at the meeting headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The project will be implemented at an estimated cost of Rs 4,287.59 crore (at July, 2018 price level) which includes Interest During Construction (IDC) and Foreign Component (FC) of Rs 426.16 crore and infusion of equity of Rs 630.28 crore by NHPC in CVPPPL for construction of Kiru HE Project (624 MW).
Earlier, the Cabinet had approved Rs 70 crore for pre-construction activities of the project.
CVPPPL is a joint venture company amongst NHPC, Jammu & Kashmir State Power Development Corporation (JKSPDC) and PTC with equity shareholding of 49 per cent, 49 per cent and two per cent, respectively.
The project, located on river Chenab in Kishtwar district will provide much-needed power in Northern Grid and accelerate process of development of remote areas of Jammu and Kashmir.
It is scheduled to be completed in a period of 4.5 years.
Meanwhile, briefing the media about the decisions taken by CCEA, Union MoS in PMO, Dr Jitendra Singh thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for giving a special consideration to the two proposals that were being pursued by him for last over three years. He also thanked HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar and MoS (I/C) Power R.K.Singh.
Dr Jitendra Singh said, the Kiru project had been held up for a long time and with the intervention of the Centre and cooperation from the Governor’s regime, it had now come through. The project will give a major boost to power generation in the region, he said.
On sanction of two Kendriya Vidyalayas in remote Jodhpur and Gandoh-Bhalessa in district Doda, Dr Jitendra Singh disclosed that the exercise began about two years ago. Being very far flung and backward areas, he said, these two locations did not fulfill all the high-standard parameters.
However, when this was brought to the notice of the HRD Ministry, he said, a special team from the Centre was sent for an “on the spot inspection” of these two locations and certain relaxation was made in the parameters considering the dire need to set up the Kendriya Vidyalaya over there.
Ironically, Dr Jitendra Singh said, both these places have been for decades together, represented by high profile Ministers in the State and the Central Cabinet, but in spite of this, he alleged that the area continued to remain backward and deprived of adequate educational facilities. As for Gandoh, it recently got its first Post Office and State Bank of India branch after over 65 years of independence.
Referring to the landmark project brought to district Doda, in the last five years, Dr Jitendra Singh made a special mention of three tunnels namely, Khilani- Sudhmahadev tunnel, Kaljugar tunnel connecting with Chamba in Himachal Pradesh and Chattergala tunnel connecting Doda to Bani-Basohli-Lakhanpur. The first -ever National Institute of High Altitude Medicine is being set up in Bhadarwah and its foundation stone was laid on 15th of January this year.
The Centrally funded Medical College in Doda will also start functioning this year, he added. While Kastigarh received a Degree College through a recent order, the community hall in the memory of late Daya Krishan Kotwal is coming up in Bhadarwah, he said. Padar in Kishtwar has been given a Degree College from Central RUSA fund.
In addition, Dr Jitendra Singh referred to a network of roads including the up gradation of Doda to Bhaderwah road with travel time getting reduced considerably and Bhaderwah receiving the highest amount of CRF among all Assembly segment of the State.
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