Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar has emerged as North India’s power hub with a potential to serve the power needs of even the entire country in the coming times, Union Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh said on Sunday.

The minister was speaking at the DISHA (District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committee) meeting of district Kishtwar convened by him to review progress on various centrally-sponsored schemes (CSS) being implemented there.

“Kishtwar in Jammu and Kashmir has emerged as North India’s power hub under the Modi government with a series of active power projects, in total expected to generate more than 6,000 megawatt of electricity,” Singh was quoted as having said in a statement issued by the Union Personnel Ministry.

The latest addition would be an exclusive one megawatt solar power plant for the holy spot of Machail which would be a great boon for the pilgrims in the Machail yatra.

While reviewing the sector-wise progress of the district, the minister stressed the administration to give a major flip to the tourism sector.

He demanded that a focus be given to the potential areas of tourism like religious spots, trekking and mountaineering, adventure tourism, and upgrading of camping sites in the district to attract a larger tourist footfall in the district.

Singh stressed on inclusion of areas in Machail and Sarthal under the tourism circuit on a priority basis, and linking the tourism sector with the Mission Youth schemes for the benefit of the youths.

While speaking in the meeting, the minister also reiterated that Kishtwar district is a hub of five major upcoming hydroelectric power projects with huge power generation capacity which can be of great potential to meet the needs in the power sector in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and the country in the coming time.

He further added that tapping of solar energy will further augment the power needs in far-flung areas of the district.

-With PTI Input