In a major breakthrough for power-strapped Uttarakhand, a MoU was signed between Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh Governments over 660 MW Kishau Multipurpose Power Project in the presence of the Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat here in Dehradun on Saturday. Secretary Power of Uttarakhand Government Dr Umakant Panwar and principal secretary Power of Himachal Pradesh Government SKBS Negi signed the MoU on behalf of their respective State Governments. later CM Rawat said he was grateful to his Himachal Pradesh counterpart for the development.
Rawat said that the project being implemented would not just benefit Uttarkhand and Himachal Pradesh but would benefit the country as a whole. This joint project would prove a milestone in the coming days and other States will emulate such joint ventures in future, he said. “Kishau multipurpose project has been approved as national project by the Union Government. The project was financed on 90:10 basis with the Centre bearing 90 percent and the two States bearing the rest with 5:5 percent ratio,” the CM said, adding that his focus is now riveted on a prospective MoU Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh over Jamrani barrage project.
Chief secretary N Ravishankar said that with both States having agreed to make the joint venture direct and indirect benefits would be equal for both. “Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh would be benefited after the project comes up. It would solve Delhi’s perennial problem of water scarcity aside from reviving Yamuna river. Affected families will be rehabilitated as per the national standard,” he said. It would be pertinent to mention here that in May, a high-level meeting co-chaired by the Uttarakhand chief secretary N Ravi Shankar and Himachal Pradesh chief secretary P Mitra was held to remove hurdles coming in the way of constitution of Joint Venture (JV) for construction of Kishau Multipurpose Project (660 MW). During the meeting both States had agreed that they would get equal sharing of direct and indirect benefits.
SKBS Negi said that they have also requested the Chief Minister Rawat for another project at Arakot-Tyuni. “ He has instructed for a technical feasibility study at the level of chief engineer,” he said. Among other dignitaries present during the MoU signing were Cabinet Minister Harak Singh Rawat, parliamentary secretary Pradeep Batra, additional chief secretary Rakesh Sharma, UJVNl MD SN Verma, UPCl MD SS Yadav, HP power corporation limited (HPPCl) MD Devenera Kumar Sharma and Renukaji Barrage project senior manager RP Verma.