Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the state run NHPC Ltd’s Kishanganga hydro power project in Jammu and Kashmir.
- The project is located in the Bandipora district of J&K and is a run of river scheme.
- The project is based on the river Kishanganga, a tributary of Jhelum which flows to Pakistan as well.
- Pakistan had challenged the project under the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 but the International Court of Arbitration at The Hague ruled in India’s favour in 2013.
- The Jhelum originates in India and flows into Pakistan, and according to the Indus Water Treaty, whoever builds the project first will have the first rights on the river water.
- The Project was handed over to NHPC for execution by the State Government after an MoU was signed between J&K Govt. and Ministry of Power, Govt of India in July 2000.
- The hydro power project has a capacity of 330MW.
- It will provide a free power of 13 per cent to the state, which will be around Rs. 133 crore per year.
- The overall cost of the project is Rs 5882 crore and the annual generation would be 1712.96 MU.
- It would provide many benefits to the state which include employment to the people of J&K, infrastructure development etc.
- It is estimated that the project engaged about 1850 local persons during construction stage and 750 local persons during operation stage through direct and indirect employment.
