In a major boost to the power sector in Kashmir, Lieutenant Governor, Girish Chandra Murmu today e-inaugurated 10 power projects worth Rs 19.51cr for Districts- Srinagar, Shopian, Anantnag, Budgam and Kulgam and laid foundation stones for 07 others costing Rs 30.35 cr for Srinagar, Pulwama, Anantnag and Baramulla districts of Kashmir.

This is in addition to the two projects viz Augmentation of 33/11 KV Receiving Station Yaripora from 2x6.3 MVA to 2x10 MVA, Kulgam and Construction of 6.3 MVA Receiving Station, Batagund (Gulbagh), Tral, Pulwama costing Rs. 2.40 cr and Rs. 3.13 cr respectively, which were recently inaugurated by the Lt Governor during his tour to the said Districts, thus taking the total of newly commissioned power projects to 12 at the cost of Rs 25 cr.

Sh. Baseer Ahmad Khan, Advisor to the Lieutenant Governor; Sh. BVR Subrahmanyam, Chief Secretary; Sh. Rohit Kansal, Principal Secretary, Power Development Department, Sh. Mohammad Aijaz Asad, Managing Director, KPDCL, Chief Engineers and other senior officers were present on the occasion.

The Lt Governor observed that with the commissioning of new projects sanctioned under PMDP, IPDS, DDUGJY and languishing projects being implemented by KPDCL and RECPDCL, the power curtailment in Kashmir would be reduced by 6-8 hours during winter season. Pertinently, during winter season, there used to be 12-16 hours of power curtailment in some parts of Kashmir Division. The commissioning of 12 Receiving Stations is a great leap forward to improve the capacity constraints from distribution side, he added.

Principal Secretary, Power Development Department, Rohit Kansal informed that the newly inaugurated projects will benefit around 35,000 households across Kashmir.

The Lt Governor said that the Government of J&K is aiming to achieve the larger goal of self-sufficiency in Power sector and stressed on putting concerted efforts towards achieving medium term target of providing reliable power supply to the consumers with no more than 2 hours of power curtailment.

During the last two years, J&K has witnessed rapid progress in execution and completion of major developmental projects. The projects under PMDP were sanctioned in 2015. However, the work on most of these projects started in the years 2018 and 2019 only, and within a short span of time, these projects are being commissioned, he added.

The Lt Governor set November 2020 as the timeline for the completion of 7 projects whose foundation stones were laid today. He also advanced the completion target for two power projects from December 2021 to May 2021.

The projects inaugurated today included- Construction of  33/11kV 10 MVA Receiving Station near DC Office Shopian, benefiting 1300 households; Augmentation of 33/11kV Receiving Station Qazigund from 1x 10 MVA to 2x10  MVA, benefiting 8200 households; Augmentation of 33/11kV Receiving Station SICOP (Bijbehara) from 1x6.3MVA to 2x6.3 MVA which would benefit 2850 households; Construction of  33/11kV 10 MVA Receiving Station Hanjoora, benefiting 1800 households; Augmentation of 33/11kV Receiving Station Kanir from 1x 6.3 MVA to 2x6.3 MVA which would benefit 2500 households; Augmentation of 33/11kV Receiving Station Khag from 1x 6.3 MVA to 2x6.3 MVA; Augmentation of 33/11kV Receiving Station Devsar from 1x 6.3 MVA to 2x6.3 MVA; Augmentation of 33/11kV Receiving Station  Owantabhawan  from 2x6.3 MVA to 2x10 MVA; Augmentation of 33/11kV Receiving Station  Bone & Joint  from 2x6.3 MVA to 2x10 MVA and Construction of  33/11kV 6.3 MVA Receiving Station Kellar benefiting 4400,5200, 2000, 2200 and 3000 households respectively.

Whereas, the works for which foundation stones were laid included construction of -3/11kV 6.3 MVA Receiving Station  Awantipora-II; 33/11kV 10 MVA Receiving Station  District Hospital Anantnag; 33/11kV 1x10 MVA GIS Receiving Station  Pahalgam; 33/11kV 1x10 MVA  GIS Receiving Station  Batamaloo; 33/11kV 10 MVA  Receiving Station  Ellahibagh (Rangpora); 33/11kV 10 MVA Receiving Station Aali Masjid (Sangam Takanwari) and 33/11kV 10 MVA  Receiving Station Bugoo (Model Town) Sopore.

Lieutenant Governor, Girish Chandra Murmu today e-inaugurated 15 important infrastructural projects of School Education Department.

Sh. Kewal Kumar Sharma, Advisor to the Lieutenant Governor;  Sh. BVR Subrahmanyam, Chief Secretary; Dr. Asgar Hassan Samoon, Principal Secretary to the Government, School Education Department, Directors School Education - Anuradha Gupta and Mohammad Younis Malik, Dr. Arun Kumar Manhas, Project Director, Samagra Shiksha, J&K and other senior officers attended the inaugural event, in person and through video conferencing.

The Lt Governor called for doubling of efforts for bringing educational reforms in J&K to achieve a comprehensive development in the sector. He stressed on prioritizing the educational infrastructure development even in far flung areas, and called upon the stakeholders to initiate necessary measures to play a decisive role in enhancing the education scenario across J&K with special focus on increasing the female literacy rate.

The Lt Governor underlined the importance of improving the school infrastructural setup by optimum utilization of resources to improve the facilities in Government run schools.

“School education is central to the overall development of youth and we must realise the fact that when we are nurturing a child in school, we are nurturing the future of the nation”, he added.

He directed for immediate utilization of the newly constructed infrastructure, terming the projects as assets created for rural areas which will certainly contribute towards the quality improvement in education sector. He further directed for construction of boundary walls, fencing, cleaning and preparing grounds under MGNREGA and other schemes.

The Lt Governor observed that the people of J&K have high expectations from the Government and we will go extra mile to meet their developmental aspirations. He also directed for early execution and speedy completion of languishing projects and works being projected under B2V programme.

The newly inaugurated projects worth Rs 14.7 cr included construction of - 100 bedded Girls Hostel at Atholi Padder, Kishtwar;  100 bedded Girls Hostel at Palangar, Rajouri; 10 roomed High School Building at Theeru, Ganderbal; 10 roomed High School Building at Goripora, Srinagar; Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV) at Panchkarwari, Srinagar; Model Girls Hr. Sec. School Rajouri; Art/Craft room, Computer room at Government High School Shahpur, Poonch; Additional accommodation at Higher Secondary School, Saaj, Rajouri; GHS Dooru, Anantnag; Government Middle School Hanumanpora, Anantnag; KGBV at Arnas, Reasi; Additional Block at HSS Ladrwan, Kupwara; 04 Roomed building at Model Girls HSS Udhampur; 08 Roomed building at HSS Garh Dhamma, Udhampur and 08 Roomed building at Dalwah, Ramban under schemes like Samagra Shiksha, JKIDFC and Capex.