J&K has 18000 MW estimated hydro power potential : Javed Ahmed Rana
Solar Power plants installed on 5463 households, 4648 govt buildings
5 Dariya News
Jammu 22-Mar-2025
Minister for Jal Shakti, Javed Ahmed Rana, said that J&K has an estimated hydro power potential of 18,000 MegaWatt (MW), of which, 14867 MW has been identified. The Minister was replying on behalf of the Chief Minister to a question raised by Mubarak Gul.
The Minister informed the House that the identified potential comprises 11283 MW in Chenab basin, 3084 MW in Jhelum basin and 500 MW in Ravi basin. He said that out of the identified potential, 3540.15 MW (23.81%) has been harnessed till date including 1197.4 MW in UT sector (JKSPDC), 2250 MW in Central sector (NHPC) and 92.75 MW in IPP mode under 31 projects.
Regarding the Solar Power Projects, the Minister said that solar power plants with capacity of 41367 and 34300 have been installed in a total of 4648 government buildings and 5463 residential households respectively.
The Minister said that UT of J&K has an estimated solar potential of 111 GW, most of which is restricted to the UT of Ladakh. He added that the mega size solar power projects have not been developed in J&K till date as identification of feasible land banks (500 acres for 100 MW solar park) at a single location for its development is difficult because of the topography of the UT.
The Minister informed that, however, a cumulative capacity of 75 MW of Rooftop Solar Power Plants has been installed in the UT of J&K across all sectors under various schemes and projects mostly sponsored by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), GoI.
He added that, presently, the Rooftop Solar Power plants are being installed on residential households by DISCOMS under PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojna in which 1 kWp Rs 55,000 with subsidy of Rs 36,000, 2 kWp Rs 1,10,000 with subsidy of Rs 72,000 and 3 kWp Rs 1,59,500 with subsidy of Rs 94,800 have been finalized.
The Minister also informed that Purchase of electric/utility poles, HT/LT wires and transformers is being made through the Procurement wing. MY Tarigami, Balwant Singh Mankotia, Nizam-ud-Din Bhat, Tanveer Sadiq, Shakti Raj Parihar and Mehraj Malik raised the supplementaries.
SDH Kokernag gets 24*7 power supply through dedicated feeder
Minister for Jal Shakti, Javed Ahmed Rana, today said that a proposal regarding construction of a receiving station at Nowbugh Larnoo in Kokernag is under technical evaluation, including the survey and feasibility check.
The Minister, on behalf of the Chief Minister, was replying to a question raised by Zafar Ali Khatana. He informed the House that based on the outcome of the evaluation, an appropriate decision will be taken soon.
He added that Sub-District Hospital Kokernag is presently being fed round the clock power supply, through a dedicated 11 KV feeder emanating from Receiving Station Kokernag. He said that regarding power supply to its adjoining areas, the power is being provided 22 hours for metered and 20 hours for un-metered consumers per day as per schedule.
Sopore Town receives 24x7 power supply under PMDP, RDSS schemes : Javed Ahmed Rana
Minister for Jal Shakti, Javed Ahmad Rana, today said that Watlab Receiving Station has been upgraded from 1x6.3 MVA to 2x6.3 MVA under PMDP and completed in 2019. The Minister was replying on behalf of Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, to a question raised by Irshad Rasool Kar.
He said that the upgraded Watlab Receiving Station has been supplying power to the Warpora area through the 11KV Warpora feeder, however, with increasing load demand, the feeder load reaches 460 Amps during the peak hours.
He added that to address this, the department has initiated a fresh technical feasibility survey to assess the need for a new Receiving Station at Warpora and a decision on the new Receiving Station will be taken based on the survey outcome.
He said that the 10MVA 33/11KV Receiving Station at Warpora was initially proposed as part of a prospective plan. The Minister said that Electrical infrastructure development is underway under various centrally sponsored schemes like PMDP/RDSS.
He said that some areas of Sopore Town (Model Town, Court Road, Galabad) have been completed and 24x7 power supply is being provided there. He said that there has been an appreciable improvement in power supply hours, quality of supply in completed areas and work is in progress for the remaining feeders and planned shutdowns are being availed for execution of works safely, with prior information to the public.
He said that once the project works are completed and the loss level of feeders decreases to the desired level, the feeders will qualify for 24x7 power supply. The Minister said that the work on shifting/re-aligning the entire 33 KV line is not being covered under any existing projects.
However, a separate tap line was taken up from Substation Sopore-1 to River crossing under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme R-APDRP Part-B to partly shift the line.
JKPDC to initiate, conclude promotion of eligible employees under recruitment rules shortly : Javed Ahmed Rana
Minister for Jal Shakti, Javed Ahmed Rana, today said that the Jammu and Kashmir State Power Development Corporation (JKSPDC) has made departmental promotions of JKSPDC employees since 2010.
The Minister was replying to a question raised by Muzaffar Iqbal Khan. He said that the promotions/release of higher grades have been granted to categories, other than Engineering and AGM (Finance), which included Chief Geologist, Company Secretary, Geological Assistants, Technicians, Finance Assistants and Computer Operators.
The Minister said that no category of employees working as computer operators, Junior Assistants, Senior Assistants and Finance Assistants have been ignored in promotions by the Corporation.
He said that the agenda for promotion of Finance Assistants to the level of Assistant Accounts Officer (AAO) was considered in the DPC meeting held on 5th/9th August, 2024, but because of mismatch between the Finance Department rules adopted by the JKSPDC for such promotions and eligibility of the candidates, it was deemed appropriate to seek Board of Directors (BoDs) approval to dispense with the requirement of passing SAC-I and SAC-II exams stipulated in the Finance Department rules for their promotion.
The Minister said that the matter is being placed before the BoDs for appropriate decisions facilitating their promotion. The Minister said that in case of Computer Operators (currently at Pay level L-4), there is no higher post available in consecutive pay level of L-5 in the sanctioned strength issued by the Government of Jammu & Kashmir vide Government Order No: 56- JK(PDD) of 2023 dated 02.05.2023.
The Minister said that having regard to the fact that the functioning of the Corporation, a distinct corporate entity under Companies law, does not conform to the functioning of a government department and requires different skill sets, job profiles and hierarchical pattern, the Corporation is in the advanced stage of finalizing stage recruitment rules.
These recruitment rules once notified shall provide a clear career progression for all those cadres including computer operators. Promotions for other cadres including Junior Assistants and Senior Assistants, will however, be initiated shortly against vacant promotion quota posts after following relevant recruitment rules currently in vogue i.e. J&K Subordinate Service Recruitment Rules, SRO- 381 of 1981 Dated. 26.08.1981.
The Minister said that as it is evident from this information that no discrimination with non-gazetted employees has ever been made in past nor shall be made in future while as promotions against vacant promotion quota posts of all cadres, where the employees are eligible under relevant Government recruitment rules in vogue, shall be initiated and concluded shortly.