Srinagar, Mar 30: Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) today ridiculed the statement by Union Power Minister in which he had said the centre government “won’t return NHPC-run power projects to state.”
Reacting to the statement, president, KCCI Abdul Hamid Punjabi said : “It shows the centre has no plan to return power projects like Salal and Uri which are run by NHPC, to the state and it reveals the mindset of the government towards the state.”
He said the KCCI has taken serious note of the issue.
He suggested that it was in the interest of both the Central as well as the State to meet the demand of returning the power projects to the J&K.
“We are facing severe power crisis and despite having water resources the state is not taking any benefit of them,” Punjabi said.
To mention Union Power Minister in reply to a question on J&K’s demand for return of the power projects had said that it was better to go in for new power projects than asking for old ones.
“We have suggested to the state government to start work on new power stations with the Centre’s assistance,” he disclosed.
Pertinently, the KCCI earlier sought the attention of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to acute power crisis in the Valley.
The chamber has sent an open letter to the PM pleading that the state is suffering badly for want of transfer of NHPC run power projects.
The letter dispatched last month, had strongly pleaded for implementation of “recommendations by PM constituted Dr. Rangarajan headed Task Force in 2006.”

Lastupdate on : Fri, 30 Mar 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 30 Mar 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 31 Mar 2012 00:00:00 IST