CM Omar Says Two Projects Likely Amid IWT Suspension
Talks Underway with Centre on Power, Housing Projects: Omar
J&K Still in Debt, Concessional Power Supply Continues
CM Omar Meets Union Minister Khattar to Push Development Agenda
Indus Treaty Suspension Opens Door for J&K Projects, Says Chief Minister
Srinagar, June 12, KNT: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday said that the suspension of the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) has created an opportunity to take up two key development projects in the Union Territory.
Speaking to reporters following a meeting with Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, CM Omar revealed that discussions are ongoing with the Centre regarding the initiation of these projects. He hinted that the projects are likely to fall under the Power and Housing & Urban Affairs ministries, where “progress is being made.”
Although he did not elaborate on the specific nature of the projects, the Chief Minister expressed hope that the current geopolitical climate and the temporary freeze on the treaty could provide the necessary momentum for long-pending initiatives.
Responding to a question about the financial situation of Jammu and Kashmir, CM Omar admitted that the region remains in debt. “We continue to provide power at concessional rates to domestic, industrial, and commercial consumers. However, there is a considerable gap between the rate at which power is procured and the rate at which it is supplied,” he explained.
Omar’s statement underscores the pressing need for fiscal reforms in the power sector while simultaneously signaling a shift in New Delhi’s stance toward local infrastructure development in the backdrop of the stalled Indo-Pak water agreement.
The meeting with Union Minister Khattar is being seen as part of a larger push by the J&K administration to address both financial constraints and infrastructure bottlenecks in the region.
