J&K govt receives over Rs 2,400 cr as water charges from NHPC

The Jammu and Kashmir government has received over Rs 2,400 crore on account of water usage charges from NHPC.
In a reply to a question of NC member Bashir Ahmed Veeri, Minister of State for Power Mohammad Ashraf Mir today said in Legislative Council that Rs 2,472.37 crore has been received from NHPC as water usage charges imposed in financial year 2010-11.
Intervening the supplementary question, Minister for Horticulture Abdul Rehman Veeri said that power management is a big challenge and government is making efforts to solve it on priority.
He informed the House that efforts are being made for return of Dul Hasti, Salal and Uri-I hyderoelectric power projects to Jammu and Kashmir.

Mir earlier said that a cabinet sub-committee was constituted to look into various issues associated with transfer of power projects to the state which recommended seeking return of Salal, Uri-I and Dul Hasti projects to the state apart from those transfer to NHPC vide Memorandum of Understanding of July 2007.
The minister further said that J&K state Power Development Corporation was authorised to work out present cost of these projects on the basis of internationaly accepted norms.