Onlykashmir.in News Desk
Senior Samajwadi Party leader Khalid Tufail has alleged systematic economic exploitation of Jammu and Kashmir through what he described as an unjust power sharing mechanism, despite the region’s vast hydroelectric potential.
In a statement, Tufail said Jammu and Kashmir, often termed the Powerhouse of India, continues to face acute electricity shortages, particularly during winter, even though it has a hydroelectric capacity exceeding 20,000 megawatts. He asserted that the local population remains deprived of its rightful share of electricity generated from its own rivers.
He pointed out that most of the power produced is diverted to the national grid through NHPC, while the Union Territory receives only 12 percent as royalty, with the remaining 88 percent supplied outside. As a result, he said, Jammu and Kashmir is forced to purchase its own electricity at high rates, calling it a grave injustice.
Referring to recent parliamentary statements, Tufail said it has become clear that major hydropower projects such as Salal, Uri I and Dulhasti are not likely to be returned to Jammu and Kashmir in the near future. He added that NHPC’s annual profit figures fail to reflect the hardships faced by people in the region.
The SP leader demanded that electricity royalty be enhanced to at least 40 percent or that hydropower projects which have already recovered their costs be handed back to Jammu and Kashmir. Terming the issue one of justice and equality rather than just power supply, he urged collective efforts to safeguard the economic rights of the people.
