Opposition embarrasses PDP-BJP government over power projects resolution in J&K Legislature

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

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JAMMU, March 30: In a major embarrassment for the ruling PDP-BJP coalition, the opposition NC-Congress on Monday got a resolution over return of the Central power projects passed in the Upper House of the Legislature in the Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir State.

Interestingly, the principal ruling outfit PDP opposed the resolution but failed to stop it from passage as many of the coalition members were absent at the time of voting---betraying a poor floor management.

Days after the House witnessed uproar over the Centre's refusal to hand over Uri and Dul Hasti power projects to J&K, the NC member Qaiser Jamsheed Lone’s resolution read: “This House resolves that all the power projects be returned by NHPC to state government". Minister for Rural Development, Abdul Haq Khan, who was replying on behalf of Minister for Power, opposed the resolution, saying that government was already seized of the matter.

“There is no need to move a resolution since the state government has already approached the Centre for transfer of power projects,” Mr Khan said. Leader of the House and Education Minister Naeem Akhter advised the opposition not to press for the resolution. He recalled how a resolution on 'Greater Autonomy' passed unanimously by both Houses of the State Legislature during National Conference rule in 2000 had been “thrown into a dustbin” by the NDA Government of Prime Minister Vajpayee.

Contending that it had “lowered the prestige of the Assembly”, he said, "Please do not repeat that mistake again by passing a resolution and lowering the prestige of the House."  Amid verbal exchanges and noisy scenes, the resolution was put to vote and passed as opposition members were more in strength and there were just 10 members on the Treasury Benches.

Mr Khan earlier asserted that the Mufti government would actively pursue transfer of the power projects from NHPC. “The budget also provides for funds for meeting the operation and maintenance cost of such power projects to be transferred from NHPC”, Mr Khan said.

“It was NC which sold these power projects without even thinking about the interest of people of J&K. Who was in the government for past so many years in the state? Who gave away these projects to NHPC without even entering into MoU?", Mr Khan asked. “How can you take back projects which you have legally given to the NHPC. We are nevertheless trying to negotiate with them to bring back the power projects that you have ceded to the Centre”.

Taking a dig at the government, Mr Lone said: "On one side, they are claiming that they will bring back the power projects from NHPC to state but on the other hand, the central government has replied to a question of PDP MP Tariq Hamid Qarra (in Parliament) that these cannot be transferred in view of legal and financial problems”.

It is for the first time that the Opposition despite being in minority succeeded to get its resolution passed in the Legislature. Now the State government would have to ask the Centre to return the NHPC power projects to Jammu and Kashmir. Significantly, the BJP is running the government at the Centre as well as in the State.

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