PM Prachanda visits1500 MW Nathpa-Jhakri hydro power project

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    The Prime Minister of Nepal Mr. Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda today visited the 1500 MW Nathpa-Jhakri hydro power project of Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited (SJVNL) in Shimla district with the Indian and Nepalese delegation. He inspected the hard coating plant and underground power house of the project which is the biggest power of the country.

    Prime Minister of Nepal Pushpa Kamal Dahal while inspecting Nathpa Jahkri Power Project at Jhakri near Rampur in Shimla district on Saturday.  Express photo. 17.09.2016.
    Prime Minister of Nepal Pushpa Kamal Dahal while inspecting Nathpa Jahkri Power Project at Jhakri near Rampur in Shimla district on Saturday. Express photo. 17.09.2016.

    The authorities of the SJVNL briefed the Nepalese Prime Minister about the technical specifications and functioning of the project, which is the joint venture of Government of India and Government of Himachal Pradesh. Mr. Prachanda expressed keen interest in the project and said it was encouraging as SJVNL was working on few hydro-electric projects in Nepal. He said that a Memorandum of Understanding had already been signed with India in May, 2014 for commissioning of 900 MW Arun-3 hydro power project.

    He expressed satisfaction over Nathpa-Jhakri project and added that the experience and expertise of SJVNL in hydroelectric projects would help Nepal in commissioning few more projects successfully. The Minister of State for Power, GoI Mr. Piyush Goyal said Arun-3 hydro-electric project was a beginning of new chapter between the relations of India and Nepal and the work on this project would be expedited. He said that India and Nepal were working together on few more projects and it was a matter of great satisfaction that the neighboring nation had expressed faith in India to go ahead with these projects.

    Mr. Goyal also appreciated the efforts of the Himachal Government for waiving off 12 percent duty in hydro power projects over Chenab basin which would ensure restart of these projects. The Agriculture and Power Minister Mr. Sujan Singh Pathania thanked the Nepalese Prime Minister for visiting Nathpa-Jhakri project. He said that the State Government was making all-out efforts to harness the hydro power potential available in the State and the State Government had also taken a historic decision to spend one percent amount of the total sale of power on welfare of the project affected areas.

    CMD, SJVNL Shri R.N. Mishra gave a detailed presentation on the Nathpa-Jhakri and Rampur hydro power projects. Earlier, Shri Sujan Singh Pathania welcomed the Nepalese delegation on behalf of the State Government. Chief Parliamentary Secretary Shri Nand Lal and Member of Parliament Shri Ramswaroop Sharma accompanied the Minister. Mr. Pathania also hosted the lunch in honour of the Nepalese Prime Minister on behalf of the State Government.