Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir is set to witness further expansion of its hydropower sector, with the Centre considering taking up the Sawalkot project while major projects on the Chenab river are progressing, Union Power Secretary Pankaj Agarwal said on Saturday.
Agarwal said projects including Ratle, Pakal Dul, Kiru and Kwar were progressing well and would help meet Jammu and Kashmir’s electricity requirements while also contributing to the power needs of other parts of the country.
“Currently, discussions are ongoing regarding Sawalkote. We certainly intend to take up work on that project in the near future,” Agarwal told reporters during his visit to Srinagar.
He said the Centre was working with Jammu and Kashmir through the Chenab Valley Power Corporation Limited and was receiving full cooperation from the UT administration.
Asked about J&K’s dependence on power supplied from outside despite its estimated hydropower potential of around 14,500 MW, Agarwal said the ongoing projects would help address the demand.
“These projects will not only meet your demand, but will also meet the demand of the rest of the country,” he said.
Agarwal also said Jammu and Kashmir had made a good start under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana and had achieved an initial milestone of 100 MW of rooftop solar capacity.
Around 50 lakh people across the country have availed benefits under the scheme, he said, adding that J&K was now reaching the stage where faster growth could follow as implementation gains momentum.
“Srinagar, Budgam and Kupwara are doing extremely well,” Agarwal said, while noting that Baramulla and Bandipora were lagging behind.
He said subsidy disbursement under the scheme was portal-driven and that the flow of central subsidy directly to beneficiaries had remained smooth. The issue of streamlining the UT’s top-up subsidy would also be discussed with the Chief Secretary, he added.
Earlier, Agarwal visited the Seva Setu Abhiyan Camp organised under the PM Surya Ghar scheme at Rajbagh, where he inspected stalls and help desks and interacted with vendors involved in providing rooftop solar-related services.
KPDCL Managing Director Mahmood Ahmad Shah briefed him on the implementation of the scheme and measures being taken to improve public access to rooftop solar services.
