Srinagar, May 28: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Monday highlighted the importance of harnessing new and renewable energy potential of the State to accommodate the electricity needs in remote and far-flung areas emphasizing on installation of adequate Transmission System (TS) to extract and distribute power. He said the help extended by the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy to the State be taken best advantage of in this regard to benefit the people.
 The Chief Minister and Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy, Dr. Farooq Abdullah today chaired a high level meeting to review the renewable energy programmes under implementation in the State after they inaugurating a Solar Power Plant for the Library at the Old Assembly Complex, Srinagar.
 Omar Abdullah said that installation of transmission lines to extract power from the generation projects constitute important aspect for distribution of energy as such needs equal thrust with launch of power projects.
 The Chief Minister also underlined capacity building and proper training at the local level relating to the use and maintenance of new and renewable energy gadgets. He said that such training should be imparted at ITI level. “To start with ITIs at Kishtwar, Bandipora and Kutha should be identified for capacity building under new and renewable energy development programme”, he added and also highlighted the need for a joint workshop by the Science and Technology and Tourism Departments to create wider awareness in the tourism sector regarding utilization of solar energy for heating and other uses in hotel and houseboat industry.
  “I am of the opinion that Panchayat Raj Institutions should be involved in the process of launching new and renewable energy projects and creating sense of ownership in them about these projects. They can manage these units, supply energy and obtain revenue, and utilize a portion of it for the development of the area they represent”, he said asking for working out a module for this purpose.
 The Chief Minister asked the Union MNRE to help the universities of Jammu and Kashmir to install solar water heating systems at their various campuses. He referred to a proposal put forth by the Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University to MNRE for this purpose and said that other universities should also be brought under a comprehensive programme for utilizing solar energy for water heating purpose.
 Addressing the meeting Dr. Farooq Abdullah asked the State Science and Technology Department to put in place a well planned monitoring and inspecting system to ascertain the functional status of schemes launched under new and renewable energy development programme in the State by MNRE. “We want a regular report from the State regarding the functional of these projects to be abreast with facts and figures”, he said adding that this was essentially needed to ensure the proper functioning and maintenance of these projects.
 The Union Minster said that the huge potential of wind energy available in Ladakh and other areas need to be harnessed in right direction assuring full support of the Centre Government in this regard. He said that MNRE has sanctioned various schemes for the State and many more are in the pipeline. “You should take best advantage of the help available to you from this Ministry in the Sector of power generation from non-conventional energy resources”, he said adding that wherever required Union Government would extend you help to remodel and upgrade the micro hydel power projects.
 Dr. Farooq Abdullah said that the main aim of the schemes under MNRE is to reach out people for energy supply in the areas where there is no power supply or transmission lines are in the process of installation. He said that population of Gujjar and Bakerwal alongwith migratory nomads and those living in upper reaches should be focused for providing solar lights. He said the lights sanctioned by MNRE should be so distributed as would ensure maximum benefits to the poor people.
 The meeting was attended by Minister for Science and Technology, Aga Syed Ruhulla, Minister of State for Science and Technology, Manohar Lal, Chief Secretary, Madhav Lal, Union Secretary MNRE, G. B. Pradhan, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, B. B. Vyas, Principal Secretary Power Development Department, Sudhanshu Pandey, Union Joint Secretaries, Alok Srivastav and T. Kapoor, Advisor MNRE, Dr. N. P. Singh, Managing Director JKSPDC, Basharat Ahmad Dhar, Secretary Science and Technology, M. Ashraf Bukhari and other senior officers.
 In the PowerPoint presentations Managing Director, JKSPDC, Basharat Ahmad Dhar said that MNRE has sanctioned two projects of Dah and Hanu in Ladakh sanctioning Rs. 9 crores for each project. He said the projects are being awarded within a month’s time and are targeted to be completed in 48 months. He said 1.5 MW 3rd Unit for Pahalgam HEP has been submitted to the Union Ministry for approval.
 He said 6 projects of 22.6 MW Upper Sind-I, 15 MW Ganderbal, 23.3 MW Chenani, 0.4 MW Hunder, 0.3 MW Bazgoo and 0.1 MW Sumoor have been approved by MNRE but the formal sanction has been communicated for Ganderbal project only. He called for early issuance of formal sanction for other five projects.
 Basharat Ahmad Dhar also talked about the status of first ever geothermal project coming up at Pugah in Ladakh adding that both the two phases for the project will be funded by MNRE.
 In his PowerPoint presentation, the Secretary Science and Technology, Muhammad Ashraf Bukhari said that MNRE has sanctioned solar power plants for 69 health institutions in the State with total capacity of 1090 Kws involving an expenditure of Rs. 32.70 crores. He said that rate contract has been finalized for 32 sites and tendering for rest is in progress.
 He said that MNRE has sanctioned 50377 solar home lighting system for 225 un-electrified villages and hamlets in the State besides 20000 lights for leftover households of Gurez and about 1000 lights for Marwah area.
 The State senior secretaries and Union secretaries in MNRE had a detailed meeting in the morning to carve out a programme for MNRE schemes to be launched in the State during 2012-13.

Lastupdate on : Mon, 28 May 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Mon, 28 May 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Tue, 29 May 2012 00:00:00 IST