Budget Announcements vs Reality
Avtar Bhat
JAMMU: Not withstanding the State Government’s oft repeated announcements of increasing self generation of power in the power starved J&K during last budget session by taking up new power projects in hand both in State as well as Central Sector no satisfactory headway has been made in this regard during the last 10 months of coalition rule and fate of many power projects is hanging in balance.
Both Finance Minister, Haseeb Drabu and Deputy Chief Minister, Dr Nirmal Singh who also holds power portfolio are on record to have made oft repeated announcements during the budget session in Assembly to boost the power generation in the State which has been facing the power crisis both in Summer as Winter season when the consumption remains on peak considerably due to increasing load.
To tide over the crisis and to require domestic need Mr Drabu informed the State Assembly while presenting the annual budget for 2015 and 16 on March 23 this year that Power Development Corporation (PDC) would be needing near Rs 18,000 crore to target 9166 MWs of power generation by 2022 in the State and in joint venture with National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) a Government of India undertaking for Rs 60,000 crore.
He proposed in the budget that State Government would address the bottlenecks in the hydel power generation projects, for which the identified potential in the State is to the tune of 20,000 MWs.
Besides, he also announced exploitation of solar energy fully and referred to Ladakh region where solar power projects within the scope of 7500 MWs have been earmarked by the Central Government. The Minster also announced that 9000 MW capacity generation is under execution under State Sector, Central Sector, IPP Mode and Joint Venture out of which 2100 MW is scheduled to come upto 12th Five year plan.
Not only the Finance Minister but Deputy Chief Minister, Dr Nirmal Singh who holds the portfolio of Power and Urban Development Ministries while replying to the debate on grants of his Ministry in State Assembly on March 29 said that State has a capacity of generating 20,000 MWs of power and services of private players from country and abroad will also be involved in it.
However, on ground it appears that little efforts were made on the part of coalition to give a practical shape to these announcements. Not to speak of taking up new projects in hand the State Government in last 10 months failed to get work restarted on much talked about Rs 850 crore Rattle Hydel Project in Kishtwar which has been abandoned by the company over one year back after withdrawing huge amount from State coffers on the name of ancillary works, purchase of machinery etc.
This way not only the State exchequer has been put to a heavy loss due to cost escalation but the project will also get delayed for years together resulting in revenue loss too.
Instead of managing the power projects better falling under State Sector, the Government pressed NHPC to return the power projects back to it without applying the proper mind and giving rise to unnecessary controversy.
The political analysts are of the view that State Government which is not in a position to construct even those power projects which are under its own control and restore them in a record period of time in case of a breach in the canal or snag in power house etc, how can it (the State Government) manage the NHPC power projects which are running efficiently throughout the year and also provide some percentage of power free of cost to the State besides the water usage charges.
Ridiculing the Government announcement in this regard, the political analysts said what about Rattle Power Project in Kishtwar district of Jammu region which could generate 850 MWs of power? On this project the work was abandoned over a year back by the company and no headway has been made till date in restoring the work, they added. They also wanted to know about the fate of New Ganderbal Power Project in Ganderbal district of Kashmir valley on which work has not been started during last two decades. Besides they wanted to know about the status of Parnai Hydel Project in Poonch district of Jammu region which too was taken up in hand over one and a half decade back and has not been completed till date. The State PDC is not in a position to restore the nine MW Sewa IIIrd in Basohli tehsil of Kathua district of Jammu region which is defunct after the breach of canal some years back.
However, these claims proved to be hollow as the Government has failed to take a decision on much talked about 1200 mw Sawalkote Project, 600 MW Kiru, 240 MW Kirthal, 50 MW Lower Kainal, 520 mw Kawar and 280 MW Ujh projects. Some of these projects are in pipeline for years together. Even the Government has failed to re-tender the Rattle project on which the work has been abandoned for over one year now.
Moreover, the Government is not also clear about the 1000 MW Pakul Dul and 1020 Bursar Project that whether they will be constructed by State or Centre.
The new Ganderbal is in tendering stage for last 20 years while Parnai has also not been completed for last 20 years. While Pakkal -Dool is also yet in infancy as it is yet to be decided whether it will be constructed under State Sector or in joint venture with NHPC.
Moreover, while going through the announcement of Finance Minister that around 9000 MW capacity generation is under execution under State Sector, Central Sector, IPP Mode and joint venture out of which around 2100 MW is scheduled to come up by the end of 12th Five Year Plan, it is not known how 2100 MWs can come up in 15 months as 12th Five Year Plan will come to an end by March 2017.
The lack of resources was one among them. But, earmarking of Rs 11,708 crore for Power and New & Renewable Energy out of Rs 80,000 crore package announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 7 for building of infrastructure in the State and the keenness shown by the Deputy Chief Minister, Dr Nirmal Singh in harnessing the natural water resources for power generation, there is every likelihood that the Government may start work on the new projects in near future.
It may not be out of place to mention here that the State Government has failed to construct any power project during last over two decades except the 900 MW Baglihar. The 105 Upper Sindh Hydel Project Stage II which was started way back in eighties got delayed due to turmoil and it too could not be completed on stipulated time and date. The nine MW Sewa III which was constructed during this period after functioning for a small time developed a snag after a portion of this canal developed a breach and it was not restored since then.
In comparison to that NHPC constructed Sewa Ist, Kishan Ganga and Uri Power Projects during this period while the successive State Governments paid no attention in tapping the natural resources of water for power generation and irrigation purposes to make the State self sufficient in power generation.
According to sources the construction of new power projects like New Ganderbal, Sawalkote I &II, Chenani, Rattle etc became the victims of the official wrangles with the result the State exchequer suffered a lot.
What can be the more inefficiency for a Government that it failed to obtain the benefits of coal block allocated to it in Odisha two and half years back by Union Coal Ministry.
There is also no progress on solar energy generation front in Ladakh region and announcements made in this regard are confined to the files in Civil Secretariat only.
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