JAMMU: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday told the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly that the government plans to utilise the current abeyance of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) to implement long-pending water infrastructure projects to secure Jammu’s future water needs, while also announcing major electrification works and clarifying that unmetered consumers are being billed as per approved flat-rate tariffs.
Replying to members during Question Hour, Abdullah said reviving tubewells and traditional water sources could only serve as short-term measures and would not meet the region’s requirements in the coming decades.
“Such measures are like putting a bandage on a wound,” he said, stressing that planning must take into account the next 30 to 50 years when conventional sources may no longer suffice.
The Chief Minister recalled that a proposal to supply drinking water from the Chenab river to Jammu city, initiated during a previous NC-Congress government, could not be implemented due to restrictions under the IWT, and funding approval from the Asian Development Fund through the Economic Reconstruction Agency was denied on those grounds.
He said the present situation, with the treaty currently in abeyance, provides an opportunity to revive and advance such projects. “Our government is working closely with the Centre to take full benefit of this window,” he added.
The House was informed that two major projects are under active consideration — the Tulbul Navigation Barrage on the Jhelum near Sopore and a project to lift water from the Chenab at Akhnoor to supply Jammu city. The Chief Minister expressed hope that approvals would be received soon and work would commence thereafter.
Meanwhile, replying to a separate question, Abdullah — who also holds the Power portfolio — said unmetered electricity consumers are being billed on a flat-rate basis in accordance with tariffs approved by the Jammu and Kashmir Electricity Regulatory Commission (JERC).
He said electricity connections are issued strictly under the JERC Supply Code Regulations, 2023, after field verification, and inspection teams revise load agreements on the spot if consumers are found drawing more power than sanctioned.
Responding to MLA Javaid Iqbal Choudhary regarding electrification in Budhal constituency, the Chief Minister said 275 un-electrified and partially electrified habitations, including tribal areas, are being covered under the DA-JGUA scheme. The works were allotted in October 2025 and are scheduled for completion by October 2026.
He added that efforts are also underway to strengthen the power distribution network in Rajouri district under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS), including upgrading 11 kV feeders, replacing LT bare conductors with AB cabling, and augmenting overloaded transformers with energy-efficient units.
The measures, he said, are aimed at ensuring safe and reliable electricity supply to all habitations, while the 132 kV and 220 kV transmission network supplying Rajouri is being properly maintained by the Jammu and Kashmir Power Corporation Limited.
