CM Dhami will advocate from the Center for 17 hydropower projects, will raise the issue in the meeting
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami will approach the Ministry of Jal Shakti for approval of 17 hydel projects in the state. On September 21, there is a meeting in the ministry regarding the Kisau multi-purpose project. In this meeting, the Chief Minister will lobby the ministry for the approval of all the power projects included in the undisputed list of the state. According to the Chief Minister, the approval of the Expert Committee of the Supreme Court, the Union Ministry of Power and the Ministry of Forest and Environment has been received for these projects. With the green signal from the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti, the way for these projects will be opened. Talking to the media during the program organized on his 48th birthday, the Chief Minister shared the priorities of his government.
Court had banned 24 power projects
On a PIL, the Supreme Court had granted interim stay on 24 major power projects proposed and under construction on the Ganga and its tributaries. For this an expert committee was formed, which gave green signal to these projects. The Union Power Ministry also supported the projects in its affidavit. But the erstwhile Ministry of Water Resources, which is now transformed into the Ministry of Jal Shakti, had opposed the projects in its affidavit. Now the future of these projects rests on the approval of the Ministry of Jal Shakti.
Government will also ask for VGF for projects
The state government will also seek Viability Gap Funding (VGF) from the central government for the construction of projects. The Ministry of Finance has launched this scheme to provide financial support to the infrastructure sector projects. If the government believes that delays in projects have increased their cost, it will seek gap funding from the Center to share the financial burden.
Alaknanda more favorable than Bhagirathi
The construction of hydroelectric projects on the Bhagirathi river is now very difficult due to the eco-sensitive zone. Therefore the government is focusing on the proposed schemes on the Alaknanda river. The construction of projects in Yamuna valley and Pithoragarh district is relatively more expensive.
Projects no dispute
Note: Work is to be started on 16 of these projects, while work on the remaining projects had started.
We are trying to increase the income of the government. Apart from the tourism sector, the energy sector has potential. We want that the ban on power projects should be removed. For this I will request the Ministry of Jal Shakti.
-Pushkar Singh Dhami, Chief Minister, Uttarakhand
