Way back in 2015 Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) had sanctioned 100 mw Solar Power Project for the State of J&K to be set up in Samba district of Jammu region. Surprisingly, the project could not take up and Jammu leadership did not feel any urgency or interest in cornering the Government why such an important project has been left in lurch. Over 600 acres of land was identified in two villages of Mohar Garh and Badla Brahmna in district Samba for the project. However, when the question of transfer of this land for the project came up, the State Forest Department raised objection that it was the Forest land and demanded 18 crore rupees as the cost of the land which could not be arranged. The project which is supposed to be undertaken by the J&K Energy Development Agency is not in a position to pay the cost. Therefore, the project has been put in cold store. The Government constituted a committee headed by the Chief Secretary to resolve the dispute but so far the committee has made no progress.
One fails to understand how can Jammu develop and make progress when one Government department is pitted against another department over a matter which pertains to the common man. Is this a welfare state or a private fief of one or the other department? More than a year and half have elapsed and the committee has not met leave aside resolving the dispute. This is a sordid affair and one feel totally dismayed on the inefficiency and incompetence of the administration to come to grips with vital issues like the one under discussion. Imagine how much urgently we need the generation of power and supply to the consumers and how leisurely the Government is handling it.
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