PM’s financial package to cover power, road projects
Rs 3000 Cr will be earmarked for rebuilding of houses damaged in last year’s floods
A major portion of the developmental package that Prime Minister, Narendra Modi is likely to announce on July 17 during his visit to the state would be spent on hydel power and road projects.A top government official told that they have asked the Central government to provide over Rs 37,000 crores for tapping of hydel potential in the state.
He said PM Modi will also announce construction of major road projects in the State to spur the economic activity.
The official said Rs 3000 crores will be earmarked for rebuilding of house damaged during last year’s floods.
“However it was unlikely that the Central government will relax the disaster relief fund norms to provide over Rs 8-10 lakh for each house that was damaged in the September 2014 floods as was envisaged in the relief package sent by former NC-Congress government to the Centre,” he said.
Officials said the government has projected to the Centre the vast hydel potential that could be tapped. “It has estimated that there is a potential to develop 20,000 MWs of hydel power in the state.”
Currently the installed capacity in the State including that of the thermal and hydel power projects is 969.96 MWs. It includes 208 MWs thermal and 761.96 MWs hydel projects.
Earlier, in a report prepared by J&K Power Development Corporation (PDC), it has projected to add 2269 MWs electricity by commissioning of different power projects in next five years.
By 2021, J&KPDC has projected that a total of 5055 MW power projects will be commissioned, which will help the State in effectively meeting the demand of the energy requirements.
The power survey conducted by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) of Union Ministry of Power has projected that the peak load demand of the state will be 4217 MWs by 2021-22 and 2687 by 2016-17.
The government expects to be become power surplus after commissioning of more power projects in the state.
Currently the State is facing a huge deficit in meeting the peak demand of the power supply and the position is expected to improve after the Central government sanctions the money for starting the hydel power projects in the state.
“Investment in power and roads is vital in the State and it will ensure that J&K’s sagging economy takes off,” said a government official.
