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| In political void, ‘troubled water Fishing’ creates powerful rippled | | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, Oct 17: It is usual during the regimes of political dispensations but a decision billed as “historic” taken by the Governor’s administration has stirred a political controversy which is now raising the mainstream temperatures.
During visit of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to inaugurate Baglihar hydro-electric power project, the Jammu and Kashmir Government’s Power Development Corporation entered into an agreement with the National Hydel Power Corporation (NHPC) and Power Trading Corporation (PTC) for exploitation hydel potential of 2100 Mega Watts. The political parties have asked the Governor’s administration to explain what the state owned Power Development Corporation is meant for if the projects were to be executed by the NHPC and PTC. “Why these projects have been gifted away”, ask the political class.
The Governor’s administration, however, says that no project has been gifted away and further claims that the Memorandum of Understanding is in the long term benefits of Jammu and Kashmir. Instead of handing over the execution and generation right of hydro electric projects to NHPC the state should exploit the hydel resources itself, State Secretary of CPI(M) M Y Tarigami, Democratic Party President Ghulam Hassan Mir and People's Democratic Forum President Hakeem Mohammad Yaseen said. The Peoples Democratic Party has already voiced its concerns. “The state government should not only immediately scrap the deal it has struck with the National Hydro Electric Power Corporation (NHPC) for the proposed seven power projects in the state but also seek transfer of Salal and Uri Power projects”, senior PDP leader and former Finance Minister Tariq Hameed Qarra said.
Reacting to the report, a spokesman of the Governor’s administration claims that neither any project has been 'gifted' to the Centre nor MOU is 'detrimental' to the interests of the State. He said, on the contrary, the MOU signed between the J&K Government, State Power Development Corporation, NHPC and Power Trading Corporation (PTC) for tapping State's hydro electric resources in joint venture is most beneficial to the interests of the State and its people. In fact, it is much better than similar agreements executed by NHPC with other States.
Contesting the claims made in the report, the spokesman said the MOU signed with the NHPC on Oct 10, 2008 pertains to only 3 projects for execution by Joint Venture Company (JVC) and not seven as mentioned in the report. The projects slated to be taken up in Joint Venture are Pakal Dul, Kiru and Kawar. In fact, the State cabinet has approved the draft MOU for these 3 projects to be executed by JVC in April 2008. It envisaged ownership of J&K State Power Development Corporation in joint venture company (JVC) to the extent of 49%. The MOU signed on 10th October this year also provides for 49% equity ownership in the JVC, each by State PDC and NHPC and remaining 2% with Power Trading Corporation.
The spokesman said that the MOU envisages availability of 13% power free of cost to State Government including 1% meant for local area development Out of the balance power, the State Government has the right to purchase 49% power from the JVC at price determined by Regulator. The balance power will also be available to PDD at market price as first right of refusal resting with PDD. Thus almost 100% power from the three projects covered under the latest MoU is available to J&K State.
It provides that 80% of Group C & D staff in JVC shall be Permanent Residents of J&K State. Further, a minimum of 49% of Group A & B staff (senior managers) in the JVC shall be Permanent Residents of J&K State.
He further said that MOU also provides that revenue receipts on account of sale of timber, royalty on river bed materials etc. arising as a result of the submergence of areas by the Projects shall accrue to the State Government. nder this MOU, the rights in fisheries, navigation, exploitation of tourism potential in respect of the ponds created by the Projects shall vest with the State Government he State Government will have the right to develop/allot other schemes in the upstream and downstream, the spokesman clarified.
The spokesman said that similar arrangements made by NHPC with other State Governments actually provide that all staff to be taken on deputation with ceiling of 30% of staff in executive cadre and majority share with NHPC that is not less than 51% of equity, 12 % free power, 49% of balance power to the State concerned and balance power belonging to the Central Government for allocation. There is no first right of refusal as in the case of Jammu and Kashmir. |
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