Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his recent visit to Jammu and Kashmir, laid the foundation stone of the 624 MW Kiru Hydro Electric Project at Vijaypur. The project aims to harness the hydro electric potential of the state and help in the development of the region significantly

The Kiru Hydro Electric Project is being implemented by the Chenab Valley Power Projects Private Limited (CVPPPL) and is a joint venture between the NHPC Limited, Jammu and Kashmir State Power Development Corporation Limited (JKSPDC), and PTC India Limited.

Satya Pal Malik, Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Dr Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State for Development of North Eastern Region, Dr Nirmal Singh, Speaker, Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, Jugal Kishore Sharma, Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha and Shamsher Singh, Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha also graced the occasion.

During the address Modi said that the hydro electric project shall not only meet the increasing energy requirement of the state but also provide direct and indirect employment opportunities to thousands of persons during the construction phase and thereafter during the operation phase.

Kiru HEP, to be constructed on River Chenab in the District Kishtwar, in Jammu and Kashmir, is one of the biggest hydroelectric projects under implementation in the state. The project is scheduled to be completed in 54 months at an estimated cost of Rs. 4708 crore. The annual generation from the project shall be 2272 MU. The project envisages construction of 135 m high concrete gravity dam and an underground power house with four units of 156 MW each (624 MW).

The Government of Jammu and Kashmir has accorded a waiver of free power at decremental rate for the first five years and the water usage charges for the first ten years after the commissioning of the project besides the exemption of levy of tolls on all imports. It has also given a consent for wavier of nine per cent state GST for the project on order to keep the project cost and its tariff at the minimum.  The government will get 12 per cent free power from the sixth year of the commissioning and the water usage charges after 10 years.

The welfare of the people affected from the hydroelectric project shall be taken care of through the proper implementation of a comprehensive rehabilitation and resettlement plan. The cost of the land for house and house construction assistance, scholarship to children of the project affected families, training program for skill development and so on has been included in the plan.  Also, a provision of Rs 29 crore has been earmarked in the plan for infrastructural development in the project affected areas to improve the socio economic condition of the people.

An additional one per cent free power towards Local Area Development Fund (LADF) shall be provided by the CVPPPL with a matching contribution by the Jammu and Kashmir Government after the commissioning of the project as per the Hydro Power Policy of the Government of India and an annual revenue of approximately Rs. 25 crore shall be available for the infrastructural development and welfare schemes for the Project Affected People on a continuous basis over the life of the project.

Extensive corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities have also been taken up in the region for the development of local area. The construction of the project will also lead to a considerable improvement of the roads and bridges as well as the communication systems and electric supply system in the region, thereby developing the area socio-economically.

The state of Jammu and Kashmir is bestowed with huge hydro potential and in the Kishtwar region there are many projects in the pipeline for construction. This potential has to be harnessed so that the state can become the power house of the country which will bring about an overall development of the region as well.

In a similar instance, the FFoundation Stone of the 1000 MW Pakal Dul HE Project of CVPPPL was also laid by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi in May 2018 and the construction of the project is in progress. The third project of the company- 540 MW Kwar HE Project, is also ready to begin construction after getting an investment approval of the project.