Corruption, Procedural Wrangles Mar Private Investment In Power Sector In JK

People forced to face crisis on energy front

Srinagar: At a time when Jammu & Kashmir is facing severe crisis on account of electricity private players who wish to invest in the sector are not buoyed to invest since corruption acts as a stumbling block in the same.

ET has learnt from sources that companies wishing to invest in the power sector are ‘discouraged’ as the higher ups of these companies are forced to pay kickbacks to the people who are supposed to give a green signal in this regard.

“On one side the government says that it is facing deficit in generation of electricity and on the other it is hampering investments in increasing the power generation. Ideally the government should have encouraged people to come forward and invest in the power sector, but that is not to be,” said sources.

Sources said that some youth who wish to invest in the power sector are frustrated since they have not been able to make the investment. These youth are disturbed by the fact that they have to pay huge amount in order to grease the palms of higher ups of the concerned department in order to get their projects cleared.

For ages together the Power Development Department (PDD) has been asking the people to use the power judiciously, but the department has failed to improve upon its own performance. As far as increasing the generation is concerned the department is a big failure and it has failed to come up to the expectations of common masses in this regard.

“Over the past few decades the power generation has been increased by just few megawatts in the state. In order to cover up for its failures the department is providing various excuses and asking the people to use the power judiciously is one of the excuses. The people of state have been ditched by the department for decades now and there is no relief in sight for them,” said sources.

Sources said that there is massive corruption in state and central government power schemes like Integrated Power Development Scheme (IPDS) and Deen Dayal Upadhyay Grameen VidyutiKaran Yojna (DDUGVY). They said that the PDD is harassing the private companies who wish to invest in power sector in Jammu & Kashmir.

“Many of the government schemes launched to recover the power losses are being mismanaged by the projects wing of PDD. Due to rampant corruption many companies working in the state are facing hardships apart from the natural and political hardships especially in Kashmir. These companies have to pay bribe at the different levels,” said sources.

Sources said that even after doing work while maintaining specified quality the PDD officials receive heavy commission and delay payment to the companies apart from taking favours like employment and work contracts to the kith and kin of the officers forcefully.

“Not many companies are ready to work in Kashmir due to political scenario and harsh winter. Such factors are further preventing the developmental aspect of the state especially Kashmir valley. Given this fact the people of valley along with their counterparts of Jammu would have to face worst power crisis,” said sources. (ET)