The Union Minister for Power, Pyush Goyal on Saturday said that the Government of India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has focused Jammu and Kashmir specially and the development of power sector would receive special place.Goyal, who visited Kashmir today, said that the issues between the State and the Union Power Ministry can be easily resolved through the process of meetings and interactions, according to a statement.The Union Minister was addressing a high level meeting of the officers of Union Power Ministry and J&K State Power Development Department which was also participated by the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, J&K Minister of State for Power, Vikar Rasool, Chief Secretary, Mohammad Iqbal Khandey, Union Power Secretary, Devendra Choudhary, J&K Principal Secretaries, B. R. Sharma, B. B. Vyas, Suresh Kumar, A. K. Mehta and senior officers from various Union Power Agencies and State Government Power Department.
“He said Union Power Ministry will provide full cooperation to the State in moving ahead confidently on road to achieve new goals in power development sector. He said the huge potential of 20000 MWs of hydro energy available in the State if harnessed would not only give significant boost to the State’s economy but also benefit the Country,” the statement quoted the Minister as saying.Pyuish Goyal asked the officers of Government of India and the State of Jammu and Kashmir to draft DPRs for all the identified hydel projects so that no delay is caused at the time of the launch of each project. He said generation of 20000 MWs should be the goal for us to achieve in near future. “Let it happen in our time”, he maintained. He said Government of India would provide all financial support to Jammu and Kashmir to realize this goal. He also welcomed the establishment of Chenab Valley Power Company by the State Government to take up power projects under joint venture mode. He said this would give considerable fillip to achieve the power generation targets.
The Union Minister said that Modi-Government has flagged quality and affordable power generation as an important and priority concern and efforts would be made to provide the adequate and affordable power to 125 crore population of the Country irrespective of any politics. He said the Country’s economic upliftment; development of social fabric, improvement in the sectors of health, education, industries, agriculture and allied activities besides all round development revolves round the development of power sector. He said round the clock power supply particularly to the youth to utilize it for achieving economic and technological goals is the endeavour of the Government of India.The Union Minister asked the officers of Union Power Ministry to give special dispensation to Jammu and Kashmir in the schemes pertaining to power development.