Omar reviews power reforms

NEW DELHI: Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah Friday stressed on third party monitoring of all infrastructural development projects in the State adding that scanning and analysis by independent agencies in this regard are essential for ensuring transparency and timeline completion.
“My highest concern is to bring in lucidity in government functioning and transparency in the financial transactions by various departments”, he said emphasizing on effective third party monitoring of all works in Jammu and Kashmir and ensuring their timely completion.
The Chief Minister was receiving appraisal of the initiatives worked out by a Consultancy Company McKinsey on power reforms in Jammu and Kashmir at a presentation meeting here. The company has also to identify the bottlenecks and suggest solutions for their removal so that projects are completed within the prescribed time frame and in accordance to the specifications.
The company has also been entrusted the monitoring of mega projects under execution in power sector in the State. The company has almost completed its report and is likely to submit it to the State Government soon.
While McKinsey is monitoring the mega-projects under execution in the State in power sector, the NABCONS is monitoring about 700 infrastructural development projects in the State in R&B and PMGSY sectors.
The Chief Minister has directed all the Government departments to make third party monitoring a permanent feature in the development process to bring in transparency in the functioning and financial transactions and help completion of projects within the fixed time frame.
The Chief Minister has also put R&B, PMGSY and JKPCC on e-tendering mechanism and issued instructions to other departments concerned with infrastructural development and purchase and procurement of goods to adopt e-tendering pattern for transparency.
These steps of the Chief Minister are aimed at reducing the chances of corruption and helping time line completion of works so that benefits of these accrue to the people well in time.
In a PowerPoint presentation the McKinsey Executives elaborately explained point-by point the plan prepared by the company for power reforms throwing light on its efficacy and benefits.
Omar Abdullah has flagged power generation and its reforms in transmission and distribution as focused areas in the State’s Policy Planning. Soon after taking over as Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, he took various initiatives to give considerable fillip to generation of hydro-power and initiated measures for a well-planned roadmap to bring about most sought reforms in the power sector to make its supply hassle-free and leakage proof.
McKinsey presented a resume of the initiatives and the strategy it has worked out for this sector in today’s presentation meeting.
During the current year 7 Grid Stations at Mir Bazaar (Anantnag), Budgam, Magam, Lissar (Kokernag), Ramban, Bishnah and Katra have been completed while Grid Stations at Willgam (Kupwara), Delina (Baramula), Chandak (Poonch), Pouni Chak (Jammu) and some other places are nearing completion and likely to be commissioned shortly.
For harnessing State’s hydro power potential effectively and to the best advantage of the State and its people, the Chief Minister who is also holding the charge of Minister for Power, has initiated a multi-pronged strategy where under JKSPDC has been made key-player to launch projects jointly with reputed companies, independently by it and in PPP mode. A new hydro power policy has also been launched to encourage both PPP and IPP ventures.
Under the Chenab Valley Joint Power Venture of which the State is represented by JKSPDC and other partners are NHPC and PTC, the three important projects of 1000 MW Pakuldul, 600 MW Kiru and 500 MW Kawar are under execution while the 690 MW Ratle is also underway.
The execution of 450 MW Baglihar-II, 240 MW Karthai-I, 990 MW Karthai-II, 1200 MW Sawlakote, 93 MW New Ganderbal, 48 MW Lower Karnai and 60 MW Parnai is also on in the State. The JKSPDC is working on various projects in Leh and Kargil districts and has identified over a dozen of new projects to be launched soon.
Omar Abdullah said that his Government aims at reforming power sector both in the disciplines of generation and transmission to ease the position of current power availability in the State. He said some 5000 MWs of hydro electricity will be generated locally in the State during next about 6 years. He said this sector is full of promises for the State’s economic betterment and welfare of the people. “Its employment generation capacity directly and indirectly is of immense significance”, he said adding that his Government would take every endeavour to make remarkable dent in this sector during its tenure.
Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, B. B. Vyas and Commissioner Secretary Power, Basharat Ahmad Dhar were present in the meeting.