Revenue Minister directs to explore potential for Small Hydropower Projects in state

A meeting of the High power committee chaired by Revenue and Horticulture Minister Jagat Singh Negi was held today to discuss the development of the hydel sector.

The committee reviewed the status of power projects and explored solutions to address the challenges hindering the implementation of small hydropower projects of up to 25 MW.

The Minister said that Himachal Pradesh has vast potential for establishing small hydropower projects. He said that these projects could generate substantial revenue for the state through GST and would also contribute to the socio-economic development of the state. He said that these initiatives would also create employment opportunities and open avenues for enhancing the local economy.

The committee discussed the reasons behind the prolonged delays in operationalising several hydropower projects and provided practical suggestions to expedite their implementation.

Secretary Multipurpose Projects and Energy Rakesh Kanwar, Special Secretary Disaster Management D.C Rana, Director Power Rakesh Kumar Prajapati, Chairman Hydro Power Association Rajesh Sharma, General Secretary HS Thakur, Joint Secretary Ajay Thakur  & Managing Director Aastha Project Keshav Reddy, were also present in the meeting.