(The Pioneer)
Union Minister of Power and Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal Khattar announced on Thursday that India will fully capitalise on the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) to enhance its infrastructure, particularly in Jammu and Kashmir (J and K).
Speaking to the media in Srinagar after a review meeting with Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Khattar highlighted the region’s potential for hydroelectric power generation due to its mountainous terrain.
“Now that the Indus Waters Treaty is in abeyance, we have to take full advantage of it,” Khattar said, emphasising the government’s intent to expand existing infrastructure projects and explore new ones. The IWT was suspended by New Delhi on April 23, 2025, following a terrorist attack on tourists in Pahalgam that killed 26 people.
Khattar noted significant progress in hydroelectric projects along the Jhelum, Chenab and Sindhu rivers, with the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) and local companies driving these initiatives. “We are exploring new possibilities,” he added, signaling the Centre’s plans to initiate additional projects enabled by the treaty’s suspension. The Union Minister praised J and K’s advancements in the power sector, particularly its leadership in adopting smart and prepaid smart meters, making it the top-performing state in this area. “In the area of smart meters and prepaid smart meters, Jammu and Kashmir has taken a lead over all other states. It has become number one in the country,” Khattar said. However, he acknowledged ongoing challenges, including higher-than-average Aggregate Technical and Commercial (AT&C) losses and a financial gap between the Average Cost of Supply (ACS) and Average Revenue Realised (ARR). “There has been substantial improvement over the last four years, but more work is needed,” he remarked, commending the synergy between the Central and state Governments in addressing these issues.
Khattar described the progress in J and K’s power sector as “very satisfactory” and expressed optimism about further reducing energy losses to align with national standards.
