Improve local power generation

Jammu and Kashmir has enormous potential for generating the hydroelectric power. But this potential has not been tapped for meeting the power demand. Subsequently, the power crisis keeps on occurring not only in winters but in others months of the year also.

The power purchased from outside is not always able to meet the demand. Subsequently, there are scheduled and unscheduled power cuts. Consumers continue to suffer due to the power shortage.

Not only domestic consumers, business too gets hits. In summer the local power generation increases to some extent but in autumn and winter it decreases due to decrease in water level in rivers where the hydroelectric power projects have been set up. The power projects were not set up in adequate number as were needed since past.

There should have been good number of such projects so that not only the local demand is met but power is sold to outside states as well. This could have strengthened the J&K's economy as well. The successive J&K governments have miserably failed in this direction. Their focus should have been on setting up more power projects.

If such important requirement was not a priority in the past, it should be a priority now. All steps must be taken to initiate new power projects and complete the incomplete projects speedily. Otherwise, the dependence on purchasing power from outside due to low local power generation will continue.

According to reports, the J&K government spent Rs 9,250 crore on power purchases in the fiscal year 2023-24 to meet the electricity demand. The Jammu and Kashmir Power Corporation Limited (JKPCL) purchased 20,950.58 million units worth Rs 9,256.62 crore (tentative figures) from April 2023 to March 2024, which were supplied to the Jammu Power Distribution Corporation Limited (JPDCL) and Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL).

According to the officials, purchasing power at such a scale is draining the state exchequer. For preventing such exchequer drain, solid steps have to be taken to increase local power generation.

The potential is there and needs to be tapped. Otherwise the power crisis will continue and consumers will continue to face problems.