Work on JK's first wind power plant to begin in 2017-18 fiscal

The work on Jammu and Kashmir's first wind power project, to be built in Reasi district at an estimated cost of Rs 46 crore, will begin in 2017-18 fiscal, Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu has said.
"National Institute of Wind Energy (NIWE), an autonomous institute under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), has identified a windy site at Bidda village in Reasi which has a potential to generate 25MW power.
"Jammu and Kashmir Energy Development Agency (JAKEDA) has made arrangements to exploit the available potential of 6MW at the site in the first phase as a pilot project with financial support from MNRE (under the Ministry's Wind Demonstration Scheme)," he said in the Assembly yesterday.

JAKEDA had conducted a study on the wind potential and feasibility of such projects in the state and for the purpose, two wind masts were installed at Ijara in Baramulla district and Bidda in 2012.
The Ijara site was not found feasible, officials said.
Drabu said the state has been sanctioned 200MW aggregate capacity of solar power under the Centre's Viability Gap Funding (VGF) scheme.

The scheme envisages development of grid connected solar power projects with a minimum capacity of 10MW each.
JAKEDA is taking necessary steps for execution of these projects.
It has also finalised the state's Rooftop Solar Power Plant Policy, after obtaining comments/suggestions from the line departments, general public and relevant stakeholders.

The policy will be notified soon.