Expressing deep disappointment over the state of affairs in dysfunctional State Power Development Corporation (SPDC), CPI (M) leader and MLA Kulgam Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami has said it seems the present dispensation has no time to redress malfunctioning of its most promising Company which has a potential to bring around economy of the State.
In a statement to KNS, Tarigami attributed malfunctioning of all wings of the Corporation including planning, promotion, investigation, research, design preparation of project reports, construction, generation, operation, maintenance of power stations and sale of power to the laidback approach of the state government.
He said that the government has been so insensitive towards this Corporation that there has been negligible activity as the Board of Directors--the highest decision making authority of the corporation is yet to be constituted.
Referring to various challenges the Corporation is faced with Tarigami invited the attention of the government towards the fact that the Corporation is headless since March 17 as the post of Managing Director is being held by principal secretary to the government as an additional charge. He said that SPDC being an important institution of the State cannot be run through adhoc measures.
The CPI (M) leader remarked that last meeting of the Board of directors of the Corporation was held in June 2014 and by not meeting since then the corporation has been vitiating the companies Act. “Normally the boards shall meet at least 04 times in a year. But in absence of board of directors headed by the chief minister or governor, not only these meetings are not taking place and various important decisions are pending for want of Board of Directors,” Tarigami observed.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
The MLA Kulgam also advocated for restructuring of JKSPDC that needs to be taken to its logical conclusion. “Since the employees in JKSPDC are mostly on deputation and therefore there is no ownership, restructuring has gained tremendous importance,” he added.
Tarigami also stressed on transparent bidding process in the corporation so that there is little scope for further negotiations vis-a-vis awarding new hydroelectric power projects. “After the notification of “J&K Hydroelectric Projects Development Policy 2011” JKSPDC has awarded 13 projects out of which letter of award for 06 has been withdrawn. Out of the remaining 07 Projects there is hardly any progress on ground. Moreover, the response to various tenders by JKSPDC has been very poor. There is a clamour for revision of the policy and Government must look into this thoughtfully,” Tarigami urged the government.
Censuring the successive government for their dismal treatment accorded to JKSPDC in terms of paying energy bills, Tarigami said an outstanding amount of Rs 2102.23 Crore of SPDC that lies with the PDD is ample to infer that the Corporation is being starved for funds deliberately in order to satiate the requirements of National Hydroelectric Power projects Corporation (NHPC)/Chenab Valley Power Projects Limited (CVPPL). “Should the State Government be regular in making payment for the energy it procures from the SPDC would not require any financial assistance in the form of plan grants,” Tarigami observed. (KNS)