Shimla,July 04, 2008:Himachal Pradesh would be encouraging equity participation in most of the higher capacity identified hydro electric projects and give added preference to the public sector undertakings to execute such projects in joint venture.
This was revealed by Prof. Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister, to the high level delegation of National Hydro Power Corporation lead by Shri S.K.Garg, Chairman-cum-Managing Director of the Corporation, which called on the former here today.
Chief Minister said that the state had identified about 21,000MW of hydel potential out of which only about 6,500 MW had been harnessed while the efforts were afoot to achieve the target of generating about 50 percent of total hydro electric potential power by year 2012. He said that however, vast potential of the same was yet to be exploited which included projects with small, medium and high capacity. He said that the process of allotment of the remaining projects was being expedited with a view to achieve the objective of full capacity generation within the minimum possible period of time. He said that hydel potential was the major income generating sector of the state which was being exploited with ecological safeguards beside protecting the interests of the people who were contributing by providing their land and other permanent assets to pave the way for the completion of the projects. He said that the interests of the people of the state were dear to the government and would be protected at all costs.
Prof. Dhumal said that the state would be encouraging the execution of high capacity hydro electric projects in the joint venture having maximum equity participation in the same. He said that the state would prefer public sector undertakings of the Government of India and State Government to undertake such projects where the state would negotiate for equity participation upto 49 percent. He said that the state had completed the 1500 MW Nathpa Jhakri Power Project successfully where equity participation of 25 percent had been obtained for the state while another 412MW Rampur Hydro Electric Project had 30 percent equity participation of the state which too was being executed by the Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited. He said that on the analogy of such projects the state government would be negotiating with the power project executors to provide the state maximum equity participation so that maximum income was generated to the state exchequer to meet its developmental and social welfare requirements.
Chief Minister said that state had NHPC, NTPC and SJVNL public sector undertakings executing hydro electric projects worth thousands of mega watt in the state. He said that projects being constructed by it were at different stages of completion and by year 2012 the state would be in a position to generate 12,000MW of power and meet the power demand of the neighbouring states. He said that the NHPC was executing six projects over Beas and Ravi river basins
which included 2021MW Parbati project in district Kullu while the NTPC was executing its first hydro electric Koldam project of 800MW over Sutlej river basin, while the SJVNL was engaged in construction of 412MW Rampur hydro electric project. He said that similarly there were number of other small and medium projects under execution in the state which were likely to be completed by the year 2012.
Prof. Dhumal said that the state government was committed to implement the New Power Policy in the best interest of the state and its people. He said that condition of 70 percent employment to local people at all level was being monitored strictly with a view to protect the interests of the educated unemployed youth of the state. He said that the condition of 1.5 percent of the project cost over the local area development had been made mandatory to all the power producers beside offering attractive relief and rehabilitation package to the people providing their land for the construction of the projects. He said that the state had been extending all possible help to attract the experienced and capable power producers to undertake the execution of the hydro electric projects in the state. He assured the visiting CMD of NHPC of all possible help in undertaking more future projects for execution under joint venture. He asked the NHPC CMD to contribute towards health infrastructure building activities in the areas of the project by providing funds for the upgradation of the medical facilities in the zonal hospitals of Kullu, Chamba and Mandi besides contributing for the construction of inter-district bus terminal at Chamba which would benefit the employee of the organization as well.
Shri S.K.Garg, Chairman-cum-Managing Director of the National Hydro Power Corporation informed the Chief Minster that all the six projects being executed by the organization would be completed by the targeted date. He said that tunnel boring work of Parbati and Chamera III projects was in progress and was likely to be completed in the near future. He said that the NHPC was investing Rs. 12,000 crore in hydro power sector of the state and urged the Chief Minister to allot more projects to the organization for execution on joint venture basis. He assured the Chief Minister of best cooperation in fulfillment of the social welfare responsibilities of the project areas.