J&K demands transfer of Dulhasti and Uri hydropower projects

The Jammu & Kashmir government today asked the Centre to transfer Dulhasti and Uri hydropower projects from NHPC to the state administration besides ensuring a share in the firm's profits accruing from the state's waters.
"The BJP-PDP coalition government in the state has a development agenda which mostly comprises the power sector and the foremost in our agenda is to seek transfer of Dulhasti and Uri hydropower projects to the state," Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister and In-charge of Power Ministry, Nirmal Singh said at a conference of Power, Renewable Energy and Mines here.
Apart from this, the state wants a share in profits of NHPC emanating from Jammu and Kashmir's waters and a revision of all royalty agreements, he said.

The state also raised the issue of return of power projects by NHPC to it as "this has to be seen in the context of discriminatory provisions of the Indus Water Treaty which compromised adversely our ability to benefit from the rivers flowing through the state."
The Minister further asked the Centre that formal process of the modalities for return of the two power projects to the state should be put into place without further delay.
The state government has presented a separate Power Budget for 2015-16 after detailed debate and deliberations as development of this sector holds the key to fiscal autonomy, he said.

Singh added that the Centre should consider funding the development of roads leading to key hydropower projects coming up in the Chenab basin as these would require substantial investment.
The state also demanded allocation of a new coal block with good reserve for generation of thermal power as well as a share in the thermal power to be produced from the Ultra Mega Power Projects announced in this year's union budget, among others.