Chief minister Omar Abdullah today highlighted the need for harnessing green energy to the optimum and augmenting indigenous power production grid in power-deficient Jammu and Kashmir.

"The assistance and funds coming from union ministry of new and renewable energy should be taken best advantage of", he said and asked the power development and science and technology departments to fine tune their functioning with the MNRE to utilize the available financial and technical assistance in th best possible way for the purpose.

The chief minister and his father union minister for new and renewable energy Farooq Abdullah inspected the renovation work of old Ganderbal Hydro Electric Project for which MNRE is providing Rs 10 crore to the state.

The renovation will boost the generation capacity of the project from the current 3 MWs to 9 Mws.

Omar and the Union Minister were also briefed about the new Ganderbal Hydro Project which is a multipurpose project to provide drinking water and irrigation facilities besides generating 93 MWs of hydro power.

Likely to cost about Rs 500 crore, the project will augment Rangil Water Supply Scheme by 6 CUMES and irrigation system by 13 CUMES. The length of head race tunnel will be 10800 meters and that of water supply tunnel 800 meters with 1407 meters tail race.

The infrastructure work of the project is under execution on which about Rs 30 crore have been spent so far. The project is likely to be completed by July 2014.

Chief Minister and Union Minister also inaugurated Solar-Wind Hybrid Energy system for sub-district hospital, Ganderbal, 23 kms from here.

The system sanctioned by the MNRE will provide electricity to the theatre and emergency block of the hospital. The facility has been created at a cost of Rs 18.75 lakhs with generation capacity of 8.8 KWs.

Officials said under solar wind hybrid system for public health centre Narbal, Sub District Hospital, Akhnoor, Sub-District Hospital, Sunderbani and Sub-District Hospital, Banihal are also being covered at a cost of about Rs. 80 lakhs.

They said under the Special Area Demonstration Programme Energy Parks will be established in Degree Colleges at Handwara, Anantnag, Baramulla, Bhaderwah, Kathua, Kishtwar, College of Physical Education, Ganderbal and Mata Vaishno Devi Katra. The project is likely to cost about Rs 71 lakhs of which MNRE will provide Rs 40.5 lakhs.

As many as 6 wind masters are also being set up at Chandanwari Uri, Gulmarg, Khadinyar Baramulla, Sonamarg, Kundra Reasi and Panchari Udhampur at a cost of Rs 53 lakhs.

Thirty three water mills are also being upgraded with the assistance of MNRE in the state.

Acknowledging the unprecedented financial and technical support by the MNRE to Jammu and Kashmir, Omar thanked the Union Minister Farooq Abdullah for his keen interest in helping the state to harness new and renewable energy sources.