Lok Sabha Question No. 2765 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-12
Subject: Hydropower Development in North-Eastern Region
Ministry: POWER
Asked by: Shri Harendra Singh Malik

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF POWER

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2765 ANSWERED ON 12.12.2024

## HYDROPOWER DEVELOPMENT IN NORTH-EASTERN REGION

†2765. SHRI HARENDRA SINGH MALIK:

Will the Minister of POWER be pleased to state:

- (a) the steps taken/being taken by the Government to harness the hydroelectric potential of the North-Eastern Region of the country;
- (b) the  manner  in  which  these  initiatives  aim  to  address  the  challenges associated with hydropower development in the region; and
- (c) the details of financial assistance provided for it?

## A N S W E R

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF POWER

(SHRI SHRIPAD NAIK)

- (a) : The  Government  has  taken  several  policy  initiatives,  for  development  of hydropower in the country including the North Eastern Region (NER) which are as under:-
1. A  number  of  measures  were  approved  on  08.03.2019  for  promoting  hydro power viz., (i) Declaring Large Hydro Power (projects with capacity more than 25 MW) as Renewable Energy source (ii) Hydro Purchase Obligation (HPO) as a separate entity within Non-solar Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO) (iii) Tariff  rationalization  measures  for  bringing  down  hydro  power  tariff  (iv) Budgetary  support  for  Flood  Moderation/Storage  Hydro  Electric  Projects (HEPs) (v) Budgetary support for Cost of Enabling Infrastructure, i.e. roads/bridges. The  budgetary  support has  been  widened to  include  the  cost incurred for the construction of: (i) transmission line from power house to the nearest  pooling  point  including  upgradation  of  pooling  substation  of  State  / Central Transmission Utility (ii) ropeways (iii) railway siding, and (iv) communication infrastructure.
2. Scheme of Central Financial Assistance (CFA) to fund the equity portion of the State  Governments  of  NER  for  development  of  HEPs,  capped  at  24%  of  the total  project  equity  subject  to  a  maximum  of  ₹750  crore  per  project  with provision to revisit the limit of ₹750 crore on a case-to-case basis.
3. Ministry of Power vide orders dated 22.12.2021 and 11.05.2023 has indicated 58  HEPs  with  installed  capacity  of  44.7  GW  in  Arunachal  Pradesh  for implementation by hydro CPSUs.  Memorandum of Agreement for 13 projects, totaling 12.7 GW, were signed between the Government of Arunachal Pradesh and CPSUs.
4. Waiver  of  ISTS  charges  on  transmission  of  power  from  new  Hydro  Electric Projects as well as Pumped Storage Projects.
5. A number of hydro projects which were stuck up for a long time have been revived  during  last  few  years,  due  to  persistent  efforts  and  policies  of  the Government.  These  include  Teesta  VI  (500  MW)  and  Rangit  IV  (120  MW)  in Sikkim  and  Lower  Subansiri  (2000  MW)  and  Dibang  project  (2880  MW)  in Arunachal Pradesh.

(b) : These measures are envisaged to be beneficial for development of hydro projects  in  NER,  which  are  located  in  remote  and  far-flung  areas  and  requires development  of  extensive  associated  infrastructure  such  as  roads,  bridges  for transportation of heavy, large sized equipment & machinery to the project site. Further,  Central  Financial  Assistance  to  fund  the  equity  portion  of  the  State Governments of NER for development of HEPs would encourage state governments to resolve the issues of delay in land acquisition, rehabilitation & resettlement and local law & order.

(c) : The details of Central assistance provided for the development of hydropower in the North Eastern States are as under:

1. An amount of ₹164.70 crore towards cost of Downstream protection works for Subansiri Lower HEP (2000 MW) has been released.
2. An amount of ₹109 crores has been reimbursed against expenditure incurred towards Flood Moderation component of Dibang Multi Purpose Project (2880 MW).

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