Kameng and Pare hydro power projects may Commission by end of this year
Itanagar
The two ongoing hydro power projects, Kameng and Pare, will be commissioned by the end of this year and start generating from January next year, assured A G Kharkongor, CMD NEEPCO. Mr Kharkonger along with top officials of the hydro corporation called on Chief Minister Pema Khandu at his offices on Thursday.
The Kameng Hydro Electric Project – 600 MW – on river Kameng (West Kameng) and 110 MW Pare Hydro Electric Project – 110 MW – on river Pare (Papum Pare) are both run-of-the-river projects being constructed by the North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Limited (NEEPCO).
The Chief Minister sought details on the catchment area treatment plan, implementation of the local area development fund, employment to local people of the project area and CSR activities of the corporation for both the projects.
He was informed that all clauses of the agreement are being judiciously implemented by the CMD. On local area development fund, the NEEPCO official informed that the new power policy being framed by the central government is being awaited and whatever is there in the policy, including local area development fund, will be binding on the corporation.
On the recruitment of local people, he revealed that the corporation has already employed 179 local people for the Ranganadi project, 83 for the Pare project and 104 for the Kameng project in C and D categories. The Chief Minister, however, insisted that job reservation may also be kept for local youths in group A and B categories so that local youths with engineering degrees can man the projects.
The CMD submitted that NEEPCO will be more than happy to have local youths in higher and technical posts for its projects in the state and informed that restructuring of recruitment policy is under process by the power ministry. As soon as it is done, employment avenues will open up and NEEPCO will always give preference to local youths, he assured.
The CMD also informed that under its CSR programme so far NEEPCO has utilized Rs 15 crore. The Chief Minister, however, pointed that the sum is too meagre going by the magnitude of NEEPCO projects in the state. He suggested that proper monitoring of funds utilized under CSR should be done and also the government be informed so that tangible assets are created.
Meanwhile, requesting NEEPCO to keep the deadlines for commissioning of the two important projects, hinted that the state government is planning to invite the Prime Minister to inaugurate both. Commissioner Finance Ashish Kundra, Secretary to CM Sonam Chombay and other state government officials from concerned departments were also present during the interaction.
