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The Uttarakhand government is formulating a new policy for mini and micro hydropower projects.
"Preference will be given to local industrialists and Gram Panchayats for micro and mini hydel power projects," Chief Minister Harish Rawat said at a meeting at the Secretariat here on Tuesday.
Rawat said the participation of gram panchayats and transparency will be ensured in the new policy.
Besides hydroelectricity, the policy will also focus on generating power from pine needles, harnessing solar energy and other renewable means. A strong mechanism will be planned so that investors can complete formalities under the single window system to avoid undue delays.
To ensure the speedy implementation of the policy, a monitoring committee under the chief minister and a high-power committee under the chief secretary will be constituted.
Rawat said micro hydel projects up to two megawatts (Mw) will be reserved for gram panchayats.
The government will take no royalty or water user charges on projects up to two mw capacity.
In the second stage, projects between two and five Mw will be included while the third stage will laid emphasis on projects between five Mw and 25 Mw.
A power point presentation about the proposed policy was given by Uttarakhand Energy Secretary Umakant Panwar.
