J-K spend Rs 60k Crore on electricity in 12 years

SRINAGAR — The cash starved Jammu and Kashmir has purchased over Rs 60,000 crore power or electricity for the last 12 years.

According to official figures, over Rs 60,000 crore has been spent on power purchase for the last 12 years. During 2011-12, Rs 3761.52 crore was spent on power purchases.

In 2012-13, expenditure on power purchases was Rs 4103 crore, which went up to Rs 5153 in 2014-15. Since then, over Rs 6000 crore is being spent on power purchase annually.

“J-K has to purchase electricity worth hundreds of crores annually from the Centre-owned NHPC and other power corporations. Most of the power defaulters are government departments, several businessmen, politicians and bureaucrats,” an official of Kashmir Power Development Corporation (KPDC) told news agency KINS.

The Union Territory is facing a shortage of electricity, especially during winters.

J-K has a hydroelectricity potential of 20,000 MWs, of which around 3000 MWs are being generated by various corporations. To meet the power purchasing requirement, KPDC has hiked the power tariff upto 25 percent in the valley.

Officials said from December 15, there may be a new power curtailment schedule as there will be further increase in demand for electricity. As per rules, metered areas are bound to get 24-hour power supply.

The KPDC has 1600 MWs of electricity available. However, during winters, the demand reaches over 2200 MWs.

The Centre has been allotting additional 700 MWs of power to Jammu and Kashmir in view of higher demand in winters.