J&K to seek ADB aid for power projects

The Jammu and Kashmir government is planning to approach the Asian Development Bank for funding of micro power projects in an effort to tide over the power crisis.

"As the ADB is willing to spend Rs 3,000 crore on micro power projects in north India, the facility can be availed by the state," official sources said.

Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed recently directed officials of the planning department to formulate major sewerage, health, road and power projects in the state for the ADB funding.

Reviewing progress on the assistance that the state was receiving from the ADB, the chief minister asked the planning department to take into account the requirements of each area instead of focusing on just Jammu and Srinagar.

Focus on major cities was resulting in lopsided planning and development, he added.

Outlining the priorities of his government, the chief minister said funds be allocated to social sectors like health and education as well as building of infrastructure""generation and distribution of power and construction of roads and bridges.

Sick units: Industrialists in the Jammu region are upset with the state government's failure to revive sick units.

"While the state government is striving to attract investment, no concrete steps have been taken to revive units that went sick in the past 15 years," said K Dogra, convener of the Jammu-based Federation of Industries. Most plans had remained on papers only, he added.

Over 200 small and medium units had gone sick during the period as per the official data, and more than 500 applications for the revival were pending with the government, he said.

Most units had been the victim of the cascading effect of militancy, he said. "While in the Valley units fell sick because their premises were occupied by security forces, others fell victim to the government neglect," he said.

None of the decisions of the state panel on sick units had been implemented, he added.

"The committee had finalised 25 cases for the government support. But nothing has been done so far," said an industrialists from the Bari Barhamana Industrial Estate.

However, industries ministry officials said the government would soon set up sub-committees for the revival of sick units. Only the viable units and not the wilful defaulters would be extended the government support of revival, said an official.