Jammu, October 11, 2025 – In a major push for Jammu’s energy infrastructure, the Central government approved the 1,856 MW Sawalkote hydropower project on the Chenab River today, paving the way for Rs 8,000 crore investment in the region’s power sector. The nod, granted by the Union Ministry of Power during a high-level meeting in New Delhi around 10 AM, comes amid India’s suspension of Indus Waters Treaty talks with Pakistan, citing cross-border terrorism. Officials from J&K Power Development Corporation (JKPDC), briefing media at the Civil Secretariat by noon, confirmed the project will generate 7,000 jobs during construction, prioritizing local Pahari and Gujjar communities in Kishtwar and Ramban districts.
The Sawalkote plant with a total approximate project estimate of 31,380 Cr , stalled since 2019 due to treaty disputes, will harness the Chenab’s flow in two stages – 1,400 MW and 456 MW – supplying clean energy to Jammu’s urban centers like Talab Tillo and rural pockets in Akhnoor.
For residents hit by August’s floods that damaged 70 bridges and 4,000 homes, it’s a beacon of recovery. Farmer Karan Singh, 50, from Kishtwar’s Padder valley, said over phone from his field this afternoon: “Power cuts ruin our pumps; this project means steady irrigation for our Hindu-Muslim villages.” Women in Ramban, 200 strong at a community meet around 2 PM, welcomed the jobs: “Our sons migrate to Delhi; local work keeps families together,” noted Sunita Devi, 45, a homemaker.
Historically, the Chenab has been Jammu’s lifeline – Maharaja Hari Singh’s 1930s dams powered the Dogra economy, but Partition’s treaty ceded control to Pakistan. Today’s approval, amid PoK unrest (nine dead last week), asserts India’s rights, per MHA sources. Future benefits: Rs 500 crore annual revenue for J&K, funding flood rehab. Construction starts January 2026; completion by 2032.