Return all NHPC-run power projects in J&K: Business chambers

The business chambers of both Jammu and Kashmir today jointly demanded from the Centre the return of all power projects run by NHPC in the state, saying there was no justification in its reluctance to handover them to the state.
"Both the chambers demand from the Central government the return of all the power projects which are run by NHPC illegally in the state.
"The NHPC is running the power projects on ad hoc basis as there is no agreement for continuing their running through NHPC and that the JKSPDC (Jammu and Kashmir State Power Development Corporation) is capable of running the same," president Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), Mushtaq Wani, told reporters here.

Wani, who was flanked by president Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI), Rakesh Gupta at a joint press conference, said the return of the state's power projects would ensure economic development of the state.
"This important step will be one of the main steps which will ensure economic development as the amount of money spent by the state government to buy power at exorbitant prices (although the same is generated by the power stations within the state by NHPC) shall be available to the state government for development," he said.
Gupta said there was no justification in not returning the power projects whose agreement was over.

"I do not see any justification on not returning the power projects when the time of the agreement is over. Why are our power projects kept forcibly? We have always had a begging bowl in our hand. The state as well as the central government has not compensated us, then at least return us our property.
"We will run them and earn money and we will not ask anything from you (Centre). We, both the chambers, request that the projects, whose agreement is over and have to be legally handed to the state, be returned immediately," he said.