Govt framing policy for return of 10 NHPC projects, Official records of Salal, Uri-I, Dulhasti Projects missing

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Govt framing policy for return of 10 NHPC projects, Official records of Salal, Uri-I, Dulhasti projectsThe government Monday said a policy would be framed for return of 10 power projects from the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) to the state.
Disclosing this in reply to the cut motion moved by NC MLA, Ali Mohammad Sagar, government informed Legislative Assembly that a mutually accepted methodology will be worked out for handing over the NHPC run power projects t to the State.
It revealed that in case of 690 MW Salal and 480 MW Uri-I power projects, the return of the projects has been envisaged in the project agreements. “The government has also sought return of 390 MW Dulhasti power project”.
The government stated that the State has also signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for execution of seven power projects with NHPC in July 2011 under which the mutually agreed road map has to be framed for their return to the state.
Providing a copy of the MOU, the government informed that four of the projects have been commissioned while one is being executed by the Chenab Valley Power projects Limited (CVVPL), a joint venture company between NHPC and state. The survey for another project is going on and another one is nearing completion.
The 7 projects for which the MOU has been signed are the 330 MW Kishanganga power project, 280 MWs Uri-II, 1020 MWs Bursar, 120 MW Sewa-II, 1000 MW Pakal Dul, 30 MWs Nimo Bazgo and 18 MW Chutak.
The Uri-II, Sewa-II, Chuktak and Nimo Bazgo have been commissioned while Bursar is at survey stage and Kishenganga project is nearing completion.
Bids have been issued to execute the Pakal Dul project through CVPPL.
As per the MoU, it has been envisaged that after adjusting the surplus staff , the further requirement of group C and D posts will be met by NHPC through local employment exchange and for the group A and B posts 30 percent staff will be taken by corporation on deputation from the state government.
The government also revealed that it will secure the share in the profits of NHPC- run projects. “The agreements with the Corporation are also being revised under which state is getting 12 percent free power”.
It informed the members that matter of transfer of Dulhasti and Uri power projects has already been taken up with the Government of India (GoI). “We will secure the share in the profits of NHPC emanating from the State waters and also revise all royalty agreements”.

Meanwhile, the J&K Government on Monday revealed that records regarding execution-agreement of three hydropower power projects–Salal, Uri-I and Dulhasti— with the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation have gone “missing”. The revelations by the Government came days after it informed the House that records regarding execution agreement of the 390-MW Dulhasti by the NHPC were “not traceable”.

“The documents regarding Salal, Uri and Dulhasti have not been stolen by New Delhi or BJP. They have gone missing here. There are no records available about the MoU on these projects (with the NHPC),” said the Minister for Power Development Department Nirmal Singh in the Legislative Assembly while replying to the discussion on demand of grants for Power Development Department (PDD).
Earlier, in response to a cut motion by National Conference’s Ali Muhammad Sagar, Singh said there was no agreement or MoU which could determine that the 690-MW Salal, 480-MW Uri-I, Dulhasti—constructed by the Corporation—were transferred to it on BOOT pattern. But the Minister’s reply said in case of Uri-I and Salal there were “some documents” which “indicate” that the return of these projects to J&K was envisaged.
Besides, the Minister said seven projects—Bursar, Kishenganga, Uri-II, Sewa-II, Chutak, Nimo Bazgo and Pakal Dul—were transferred to the NHPC for execution in “central sector” through MoU in 2000.
The Minister said the projects were handed over to the NHPC for funding and execution and the methodology for their return to the State is to be worked out separately.
“The projects are being handed over to the NHPC for funding, execution and operation. A mutually-accepted methodology will be worked out for handing over these projects to J&K Government separately,” reads the MoU that was signed between Union Power Ministry and State Government in 2000.
On June 10, the Government informed the House that the documents regarding the execution agreement of Dulhasti by the NHPC were “untraceable and misplacement of the records appears to be deliberate”.
“The return of the power projects to J&K is an important part of the developmental agenda of the State Government,” the Minister said.
Quoting the PDP-BJP’s “Agenda for Alliance”, the Minister reiterated that in order to address real source of J&K’s fiscal problem and pave way for making the State fiscally autonomous, the Government would work with the Union Government to explore the modalities for transfer of Dulhasti and Uri-I power projects to J&K as recommended by Rangarajan report and Government of India’s round-table reports.

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