JAMMU:The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly on Saturday passed the Property Transfer Amendment Bill clearing decks for leasing out land for construction of power projects for a period of 40 years. The House earlier during the day saw opposition PDP and ruling Congress on the same page regarding some amendments to the Bill moved by state Revenue Minister Raman Bhalla. The objective of the Bill is to transfer the requisite land on lease basis for 90 years in favour of Jammu and Kashmir Chenab Valley Power Projects (Pvt Ltd) (JKCVPPL) for construction, commissioning, maintenance and running of three hydro-power projects — Pakuldul, Keru and Kawar — located on Chenab river in erstwhile Doda district.
Leader of the Opposition, Mehbooba Mufti moved amendments in the proposed bill that any agreement to be executed with JKCVPPL shall be done in the name of Jammu and Kashmir Power Development Corporation alone and with a lease period not exceeding 35 years.
Almost similar amendments were moved by Congress’ Ghulam Ahmed Mir, Abdul Majid Wani, G M Saroori and M S Niaz that Chenab Valley Power Projects Limited appearing in the proposed Bill be replaced by J&K State Power Development Corporation and the maximum period of the lease should not exceed 40 years. Opposing the Bill, Mehbooba said that “we have right on our resources as we are the custodians of our resources.” “Although we want the resources to be tapped for our benefits and also give fillip to the economy of the state, but leasing out land for over 90 years and also creation of this new JKCVPPL…we do not see any benefits as we have experienced in the past that the state did not benefit by leasing out the projects to NHPC,” the PDP leader said. (PTI)
