Plea to "transfer" out hydro power units to J&K: Transparency urged in power supply to Punjab, North India

By A Representative
India's right to information (RTI) activists, in close coordination with those of the Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) state, have made a strong plea for the “transfer”, and not "buyback", hydro power projects put up in J&K to the state, and greater transparently in supplying power to other states.
In an email alert, senior RTI activist Venkatesh Nayak of the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI), a Delhi-based advocacy group, and Dr Shaikh Ghulam Rasool, of the J&K RTI Movement, have said that J&K “is a power surplus state that lights up homes and powers industries across northern India while its own people face severe power outages day after day.”
Basing his information on the RTI reply he received from the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC), which runs several power plants in J&K, Nayak says, “More than two-thirds of the hydel power generated in J&K is consumed outside the state.”
Insisting that “the first woman Chief Minister of J&K “has her task cut out to 'em-power' the people in J&K, he says, “Punjab is the largest buyer of power generated in J&K followed by Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, in that order.”
Referring to a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed by the then Chief Minister of J&K and the then Minister for Power in the Central Government, Nayak says, it referred to “transfer” of seven hydel projects -- Kishanganga, Uri-II, Bursar, Sewa-II, Pakal Dul, Nimmo Bazgo and Chutak -- to NHPC, in order to "exploit the large power potential in the state".
“The purpose of the transfer is to enable NHPC to 'execute these projects over a period of 10 years', in phases so that their implementation would help the State in its overall development apart from 'meeting its winter peak requirements of electricity'”, notes Nayak.
“The installed capacity of these projects is said to be a little more than 2,000 megawatts. Nearly 40% of the hydel power generated by NHPC projects across the country flows from J&K”, he says.
Adds Dr Rasool of the J&K RTI Movement, “Precious public funds are being invested on polluting diesel generators to provide power supply to far flung areas when a large proportion of the clean energy generated in the state is being sold outside the state.”
“J&K RTI Movement calls on the J&K govermment under Mehbooba Mufti’s leadership to protect the interests of the State better, by negotiating vigourously for the handing over (and not buyback) of the hydel projects to J&K”, he says in a statement.
The demand has been made, even as the RTI replies, says Nayak, have revealed that between 2001-2015 (14 years) NHPC earned more than Rs 19,431.92 crores to be exact from the sale of power generated in J&K to all power utilities, including the J&K government.”
Insisting that the terms of the MoU, regarding transfer of the power projects after 10 years, does not mention of a "buyback" of these projects by J&K government, Nayak says, “The language of the MoU only talks about 'handing over the projects' to J&K government.”
Nayak further says, “The Group of Interlocutors for J&K appointed by the Union Government, in October 2010, to hold discussions with all sections of opinion in J&K and identify the political contours of a solution and the road map towards it recommended the transfer of power projects under the Central Government's control back to the State as one of the several economic and social confidence building measures" required to reach the eventual solution.”
“Strangely”, he says, “The Interlocutors' Report has disappeared from the webpage of the Union Home Ministry where it was hosted earlier.”

Comments

Nepal votes amid regional rivalry: Why New Delhi is watching closely

By Nava Thakuria* As Nepal holds an early national election on Thursday (5 March 2026), the people of northeast India, along with other regional observers, are watching the proceedings closely. The vote was necessitated after the government of Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli collapsed in September 2025 following widespread anti-government protests. The election will determine the composition of the 275-member House of Representatives, originally scheduled for 2027, under the stewardship of an interim government led by former Supreme Court justice Sushila Karki.

'Policy long overdue': Coalition of 29 experts tells JP Nadda to act on SC warning label order

By A Representative In a significant development for public health, the Supreme Court of India has directed the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to seriously consider implementing mandatory front-of-pack warning labels on pre-packaged food products. The order, passed by a bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and K.V. Viswanathan on February 10, 2026, comes as the Court expressed dissatisfaction with the regulatory body's progress on the issue.

Academics urge Azim Premji University to drop FIR against Student Reading Circle

By A Representative A group of academics and civil society members has issued an open letter to the leadership of Azim Premji University expressing concern over the filing of a police complaint that led to an FIR against a student-run reading circle following a recent incident of violence on campus. The signatories state that they hold the university in high regard for its commitment to constitutional values, critical inquiry and ethical public engagement, and argue that it is precisely because of this reputation that the present development is troubling.

Vaccination vs screening: Policy questions raised on cervical cancer strategy

By A Representative A public policy expert has written to Union Health Minister J. P. Nadda raising a series of concerns regarding the national Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination campaign launched on February 28 for 14-year-old girls.

From plagiarism to proxy exams: Galgotias and systemic failure in education

By Sandeep Pandey* Shock is being expressed at Galgotias University being found presenting a Chinese-made robotic dog and a South Korean-made soccer-playing drone as its own creations at the recently held India AI Impact Summit 2026, a global event in New Delhi. Earlier, a UGC-listed journal had published a paper from the university titled “Corona Virus Killed by Sound Vibrations Produced by Thali or Ghanti: A Potential Hypothesis,” which became the subject of widespread ridicule. Following the robotic dog controversy coming to light, the university has withdrawn the paper. These incidents are symptoms of deeper problems afflicting the Indian education system in general. Galgotias merely bit off more than it could chew.

Development vs community: New coal politics and old conflicts in Madhya Pradesh

By Deepmala Patel* The Singrauli region of Madhya Pradesh, often described as “India’s energy capital,” has for decades been a hub of coal mining and thermal power generation. Today, the Dhirouli coal mine project in this district has triggered widespread protests among local communities. In recent years, the project has generated intense controversy, public opposition, and significant legal and social questions. This is not merely a dispute over one mine; it raises a larger question—who pays the price for energy development? Large corporate beneficiaries or the survival of local communities?

The new anti-national certificate: If Arundhati Roy is the benchmark, count me in

By Dr. Mansee Bal Bhargava* Dear MANIT Alumni Network Committee, “Are you anti-national?” I encountered this fascinating—some may say intimidating—question from an elderly woman I barely know, an alumna of Maulana Azad College of Technology (MACT, now Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology - MANIT), Bhopal, and apparently one of the founders of the MACT (now MANIT) Alumni Network. The authority with which she posed the question was striking. “How much anti-national are you? What have you done for the Alumni Network Committee to identify you as anti-national?” When I asked what “anti-national” meant to her and who was busy certifying me as such, the response came in counter-questions.

Minority concerns mount: RTI reveals govt funded Delhi religious meet in December

By Syed Ali Mujtaba* Indian Muslims have expressed deep concern over what they describe as rising hate speech and hostility against their community under the BJP-led government in India. A recent flashpoint was the event organised by Sanatan Sanstha titled “Sanatan Rashtra Shankhnad Mahotsav” in New Delhi on 13–14 December 2025.

From neglect to progress: The story of Ranavara’s community-led development

By Bharat Dogra Visitors to Ranavara, a remote village in Kherwara block of Udaipur district, are often surprised by its multi-dimensional progress. The village today is known for its impressive school building, regenerated pastures, expanded tree cover, and extensive water conservation and supply works. These achievements are the outcome of sustained community efforts over several years, demonstrating how small, consistent initiatives can lead to significant change.

Search This Blog