Centre to extend support to make J&K power surplus, provide 24X7 power to all

Srinagar, Oct 15 (UNI) Union Minister for Power and New and Renewable Energy R K Singh on Friday affirmed that Government of India is committed to providing all possible support to Jammu and Kashmir to make it a power surplus UT and remove all supply constraints.
The Union Minister and Lt Governor e-inaugurated  power projects worth Rs 118 Cr on Friday in the UT.
Mr Singh who is on a two day visit to the UT assured that the centre will provide across generation, transmission and distribution sectors in order to make the UT surplus in power, remove all supply constraints and provide 24X7 quality power to all citizens of Jammu and Kashmir.
He also reemphasized the commitment of the government to provide 24X7 quality power supply across the UT of J&K and for improving the ‘Ease of Living of citizens’ and ‘Ease of Doing Business for the industries’.
He was speaking after inaugurating 6 transmission and distribution projects worth Rs 118 crore which were jointly e-inaugurated by the Union Minister and Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Manoj Sinha here at Raj Bhavan.
These projects include 100 MVA,132/33 KV GSS Nowbugh Chadura with 18 Kms D/C 132 kV Transmission Line; Distribution Strengthening works in Circle Bijbehara, Sumbal, Kupwara and Shopian towns; 33/11kV 10MVA Sub Stations at Industrial Estate Khonmoh, Super Speciality SMHS Srinagar and Cheeniwuder completed under various UT and Central Schemes.
Speaking on the occasion, Lt Governor, Manoj Sinha outlined the efforts made by the government to meet the power supply-demand of the people.
“A strong power sector means Ease of Living, industrialization, employment generation. We are strengthening Jammu and Kashmir’s power infrastructure which remained dilapidated for the last several decades”, said the Lt Governor.
Mr Sinha further outlined how the UT had attained remarkable progress not just in adding over 150 per cent transmission capacity but also succeeding in increasing revenues by over 23 percent. The UT Government was already working on detailed plans to add infrastructure, address obsolescence and cut down losses, he added.
We have eliminated the past practices of delays and have accelerated the pace of execution of power projects. Now long overdue upgradation of power infrastructure and languishing projects are being completed in record time, the Lt Governor said.
The UT presented an investment plan of Rs 12,000 Cr by 2025 in transmission and distribution sectors in order to strengthen infrastructure as well prepare a future-ready power infrastructure that would not just provide power on demand to all citizens but would also cater to the industrial demand in line with the proposed investment of Rs 28,400 crores under Jammu and Kashmir’s new Industrial Policy.
In the transmission sector, Jammu and Kashmir suggested opting for Renewable Power, both Solar and Wind from Ladakh, through J&K and presented a detailed proposal. It was agreed that the comprehensive Rs 4,971 crore investment plan prepared by the UT with the support of the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) would be executed immediately.
JKPDD would explore the option of a Joint Venture Company between the J&K TRANSCO and any reputed CPSU like PGCIL to execute the projects.