Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 17: Deputy Chief Minister Dr. Nirmal Kumar Singh today chaired a high level review meeting of Jammu and Kashmir State Power Development Corporation here at Civil Secretariat.
Minister of State for Power Development, Industries and Commerce and Housing and Urban Development , Mohammad Ashraf Mir was also present during the meeting.
The Deputy Chief Minister who heads the Power Development Department stressed on fast tracking the upcoming power projects and called for harnessing the vast hydro power potential of the State.
He said in his recent meeting with the Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal, the issues concerning the State power sector were discussed in detail and the Union Minister assured full support to improve power scenario in the State.
The meeting was attended by Principal Secretary, Power Development Department Sundeep Kumar Nayak, Managing Director, JKSPDC Mehraj Ahmad Kakroo, Chief Engineers of PDD and other senior officers.
Underscoring the need to exploit hydro power potential of the state, Dr. Nirmal Singh said the nature has bestowed Jammu & Kashmir with abundant water bodies and with professional handling the state can be a pioneer in the country in the field of hydro power generation. He said to improve power scenario a multi pronged approach needs to be followed which should not only involve generating more power but focus also needs to be given to reducing transmission and distribution losses.
“The projects like Baglihar are doing well but need of the hour is to explore more such projects and a very conducive investor friendly environment has to put in place so that more and more private sector investments come in the sector,” he added.
He said our neighbouring states like Himachal and Uttaranchal has excelled well in attracting private players for micro, medium and big power projects. Exploring the untapped hydro potential can go a long way in ensuring that the state gets much needed power, he added.
He said coal blocks have been allotted to the State and the Government is rigorously pursuing the project to set up pit head thermal plant for utilising the allotted blocks. Solar energy is another sector which needs proper development in the State and the government would also ensure that solar power projects are set in those areas in which feasibility of other sources of power is unviable, he added.
The Minister of State in his remarks called for working with a comprehensive strategy to improve power scenario in the State and directed the concerned to ensure that generation as well revenue meet the set targets. He said the government would ensure that much needed power infrastructure is put in place but those involved in distribution have to ensure that power supplied is billed properly.
He said all concerned have to work in unison to make the state a power surplus state and in coming times the state should be in a position to supply power to others also.
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