A day after Group of Ministers headed by Deputy Chief Minister met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi, the Minister for Rural Development Abdul Haq Khan Wednesday said that the government is keen to take back power projects from National Hydro Power Corporation (NHPC) in Jammu and Kashmir. “The ministers from both BJP and PDP vehemently pleaded the cause before the Prime Minister and the transfer of these power projects is under consideration while Prime Minister assured us that he will take the matter seriously,” Khan told CNS adding that BJP had no separate agenda both the alliance parties are serious in getting the power projects back from the NHPC.
The Minister said that the return of power projects will benefit both Kashmir and Jammu. “We (PDP/BJP)collectively put forth the demand of returning of power projects before the Prime Minister and believe me he gave us a positive response,” Khan said. Pertinently, the Group of Ministers led by Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Singh and comprised Minister for Rural Development Abdul Haq Khan, Minister for PHE, I&FC, Sukhnandan Kumar and Minister for Finance DrHaseeb A Drabu met Indian Prime Minister on Tuesday.
The Budget that our government presented in Legislative Assembly mentions that the government would actively pursue transfer of power projects from NHPC.The budget also provides for funds for meeting the operation and maintenance cost of such power projects to be transferred from NHPC,” Khan said adding that it is a wrong notion that BJP is not in favour of returning of power projects. “The GOM was headed by BJP leader Nirmal Singh itself and both the parties demanded the return of these power projects,” he said.
PDP Minister said that they discussed four point agenda with the Prime Minister of India. “The four issues that we collectively raised were ‘transfer of power projects, special package for rehabilitation of flood victims, supply of ration on pattern of no profit no loss policy and as per the 2011 census and expansion, macadamization of National High Way.’
He said that the GOM’s will meet the Union Minister of Power, Transport Minister, CAPD and other ministers in the second week of May.Responding to a question, Rural and Development Minister Abdul Haq Khan said that the discussion with the Prime Minister was not Jammu- centric but they talked about whole Jammu and Kashmir. “A Minister has right to take up the issue with any Union Minister at individual level, but over all we raised issues of the State and not about a particular region,” he said. (CNS)