Lt Governor RK Mathur on Sunday met Union Power Minister RK Singh in the national capital and discussed a host of issues related to the development of power sector in the Union Territory, an official spokesperson here said. Mathur raised various issues, including provisions of importing about 70 MW power for Ladakh for the upcoming winter months, the spokesperson said
The LG also raised issues regarding intervention for the clearance of Right of Way issues and clearance from Wildlife, Forest and Defence departments for the construction of 220 KV Nubra-Zanskar transmission line and review of Power Purchase Agreement with NHPC Ltd for 45 MW Nimoo-Basgo and 44 MW Chutak Hydro-Electric Power projects, the official said.
The spokesperson said the Lt Governor also sought the minister’s intervention in settling issues related to land, expediting the survey and other study-related work for the 10 GW solar project at Pang.
The ministry’s intervention was also sought for approval of 66 KV transmission line for Changthang under Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) and establishment of State Load Dispatch Centre for Ladakh by Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL), the official said.
Mathur raised the need for extension and implementation of Rooftop Solar Programme in Ladakh, including considering the launch date of the scheme from current financial year (2022-23) and nominating Ladakh Renewable Development Agency (LREDA) and Kargil Renewable Agency Development Agency (KREDA) as UT’s nodal agencies for implementing Phase-II of the grid-connected programme, the official said.
Spokesperson said L-G also urged for sanctioning of 10 MW capacity target of Component-A of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan scheme for Ladakh.
The ministry was also urged to sanction 2,000 solar pumps instead of the already sanctioned 600 standalone such pumps under PM-KUSUM Component-B due to demand from public, the official said, adding that.
L-G also urged the ministry to nominate KREDA as nodal agencies for Kargil district for the implementation of the scheme and extension of the completion time period till October 2023 to achieve the target, the official said.
The Lt Governor also sought sanctioning of balance funds and extension of the time period for the completion of small hydro projects by LREDA, intervention in releasing the pending Rs 1 crore from Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) to KREDA for capacity-building programme of the Ladakh Renewable Energy Initiative (LREI) scheme, the spokesperson added.
