Srinagar, Feb 23: National Conference Rajya Sabha MP Choudhary Ramzan on Monday pitched for transfer of NHPC-run hydropower projects to Jammu and Kashmir, saying the Union Territory must “reclaim control” over its major power assets.
Defending his party’s recent resolution on the issue, Ramzan argued that the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) has already recovered much more than its initial investment in projects operating in J&K and that ownership should now revert to the region.
“Despite hosting major hydropower infrastructure, Jammu and Kashmir gets only 12 per cent of the generated electricity as its share,” he said, describing the arrangement as inequitable. The UT, he added, continues to face power shortages even as projects located on its rivers generate substantial revenue.
The senior leader of the Jammu & Kashmir National Conference said NHPC has earned billions of rupees from hydel projects in the region over the years. “Long-term economic justice demands greater local control over our energy resources,” he said.
Ramzan maintained that reclaiming these projects would strengthen J&K’s financial base, cut dependence on power imports and allow reinvestment of revenues into key development sectors.
The demand for transfer of central-sector hydropower projects has periodically figured in J&K’s political discourse, with regional parties arguing that enhanced local control could ease fiscal stress and address chronic power deficits.
Comments are closed.