Only Kashmir: Srinagar: Friday,
April 22, 2016.
The J&K
RTI Movement, an NGO, Thursday claimed that National Hydro Power Corporation
(NHPC) earned Rs 194 billion from various power projects in Jammu and Kashmir.
J&K RTI
Movement in a statement to CNS called for complete transparency in the on-going
negotiations between the Government of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K Government) and
the Government of India (GoI) regarding the transfer of hydro-electric (hydel)
projects in the State, currently being executed by NHPC Ltd.
Data recently
revealed under the Central Right to Information Act, 2005 (RTI Act) shows that
between 2001-2015, the NHPC has earned at least Rs 194 billion (Rs 19,431
Crores) from the sale of power generated by the hydel projects based in
J&K.
Of this,
J&K Government had paid Rs 41 billion (Rs 4,129 Crores) to NHPC to buy
19.7% of the power that was generated by the hydel projects situated in the
State.
This
information has been supplied by NHPC in response to an RTI application filed
by Venkatesh Nayak of our partner organisation, Commonwealth Human Rights
Initiative, New Delhi.
The NHPC is
running seven hydroelectric power projects in the J&K which include Salal,
Uri-I, Dulhasti, Sewa-II, Uri-II, Chutak and Nimmo Bazgo. Official documents
reveal that NHPC has generated 1, 15,636 million units of power from these
projects from 2001 to March 2016.
The NHPC data
reveals that Salal has generated saleable energy 2973.54 MU in 2014-2015 and
earned a profit of Rs 302.31 crore by selling power to different utilities in
the country. Uri-I has generated 2635.70 MU saleable energy, with a profit of
Rs 417.87 crore in 2014-15, Dulhasti has generated saleable energy of 1850.94
MU in 2014-15 with a profit of Rs 1068.19 crore, Sewa-II has generated 479.60
saleable energy with a profit of Rs 221.26 crore, Uri-II has generated saleable
energy of 1008.87 MU with a profit of Rs 467.52 crore, Chutak have generated
158.76 MU with a profit of Rs 132.41 crore and Nimmo Bazgo has generated
saleable energy of 194.25 MU with a profit of Rs 175.45 crore respectively.
Seven hydel
projects were handed over to the NHPC for funding, execution and operation over
a period of 10 years under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between
the J&K Government and GoI.
The MoU was
inked in the year 2000 in order to help J&K in its overall development
apart from meeting its winter peak electricity requirements. The MoU also
contains a clause requiring both parties to work out a methodology for “handing
over these projects to J&K Government separately” and not a “buyback” of
these projects as has been reported in a section of the media.
A copy of the
MoU, the RTI application and the responses received from NHPC are enclosed with
this press statement.
A second RTI
application filed by Nayak with the Union Power Ministry seeking copies of the
correspondence between J&K Government and GoI regarding the transfer of the
hydel projects back to J&K has been rejected by the NHPC on grounds of
commercial interests as the “issue is not yet resolved”.
Earlier, in
March 2015, in reply to a question raised by Lok Sabha MP from Srinagar, Tariq
Hameed Karra (Unstarred Question #1771), the Union Power Minister had stated
that the NDA Government had not accepted the recommendation of the J&K
Group of Interlocutors made in 2012 to transfer these hydel projects as a
socio-economic confidence building measure.
J&K RTI
Movement is pleased to note that the negotiations are continuing despite the
Minister’s reply in Parliament. A copy of the RTI application and the rejection
letter issued by NHPC to whom the RTI application was transferred by the Union
Power Ministry are also enclosed with this press statement.
The power
generation and sale data released by the NHPC under the RTI Act, shows that a
total of 15,636 MUs (million units) of power were generated by these seven
hydel projects in J&K from 2001 up to March 2016.
However, data
regarding the sale of power by NHPC to various utilities has been made
available only up to 2015. Under the 2000 MoU, J&K is to receive 12% of the
power generated at these hydel projects free of charge.
In addition
to this quota, the MoU allows for the sale of 15% of the total quantum of power
generated to J&K Government at bus bar rates.
Figures
disclosed by NHPC under the RTI Act shows that the actual quantum of sale to
J&K for the period 2001-2015 is 19.7% of the total power generated.
According to information available in the public domain, the Pakal Dul hydel
project is yet to be completed.
More than
2/3rds of the power generated in J&K is sold to utilities outside J&K.
Punjab is the largest buyer of power generated in J&K followed by Haryana,
Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, in that
order. According to NHPC data, the power generated by Chutak and Nimmo Bazgo
hydel projects is being sold only to J&K.
In July, 2014
when the then MP from Islamabad, Ms Mehbooba Mufti, had sought power generation
and sales figures from NHPC in the Lok Sabha (Unstarred Question #2194), the
Union Minister of State for Power had assured her that the data was being
collected.
It is not
known whether the information was eventually supplied to her not. Thanks to RTI
the power generation and sales data have been made public now. J&K RTI
Movement believes that as the Chief Minister of J&K, Ms Mufti now has a
sworn duty of transparency regarding the continuing negotiations over the
transfer of the hydel projects in J&K.
Data
presented by the Union Minister for Power, in the Lok Sabha, in March 2015,
also reveals that more than 40% of the power generated by NHPC across the
country flows from J&K alone.
In August
2015, the Union Government had admitted in the Lok Sabha that NHPC was a profit
making public sector undertaking (Unstarred Question #2795).
Earlier in
April 2015, the Central Government revealed in the Lok Sabha that it had earned
more than Rs 21 billion (Rs 2,131) crores by disinvesting some of its shares in
NHPC (unstarred Question #5186).
Another
proposal for disinvestment of shares to the tune of 11.36% is under
consideration (Lok Sabha Unstarred Question #2795). By no stretch of
imagination are the finances of NHPC in the red.
While the
data revealed under RTI shows that J&K is a power-surplus State, J&K
RTI Movement is deeply concerned about the deteriorating power supply situation
across the State.
Precious
public funds are being invested on polluting diesel generators to provide power
supply to far flung areas when a large proportion of the clean energy generated
in the State is being sold outside the State.
J&K RTI
Movement calls on the J&K Government under Ms Mehbooba Mufti’s leadership
to protect the interests of the State better, by negotiating vigorously for the
handing over (and not buyback) of the hydel projects to J&K.
J&K RTI
Movement is working with CHRI, New Delhi for the practical realisation of the
people’s right to information and transparent governance in J&K. This press
statement and the data obtained under RTI is being released to encourage
informed public debate on the power situation in J&K.
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