by Punjabnewswire4u (Balbir)
CHANDIGARH, JUNE 25
The Punjab
Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, today declared that the state would be power
surplus by 2013-14, as the ongoing power projects under construction would
start generating power to meet the ever increasing power demand in the state.
Replying to
an issue raised by the leader of opposition Mr Sunil Jakhar relating to
shortage of power in the state during the zero hour of Punjab Vidhan Sabha, the
Chief Minister reacted sharply to the wild accusations made by the Congress
MLAs on the issue. Mr Badal said that they should have appreciated the initiatives
taken by the SAD-BJP regime for strengthening the power sector, which was
crucial for the overall development and economic growth of the state. The Chief
Minister reiterated his government’s commitment to supply 8 hour uninterrupted
power supply in the agriculture sector for the ensuing paddy season. He said
the Congress which was racking up this issue unnecessarily should realize the
fact that it did not initiated any tangible step to add a single unit of power
worth illuminating a bulb.
The Chief Minister however said
that on the contrary their government was fully committed to make Punjab self sufficient
in power sector within next two years and the day is not very far off when the
state after meeting its demand would sell the surplus power to the power
deficit states across the country. Mr Badal pointed out that when SAD-BJP
government assumed the office in 2007, the total available power capacity was
6219 Mega Watt and concerted efforts were made by SAD-BJP alliance government
to add 823 Mega watts till 2012. Consequently the total capacity in 2012 had
gone up to 7220 Mega Watt against the total demand of 9500 Mega Watt resulting
in the shortfall of 2250 Mega watt.
The Chief Minister said another
3920 Mega watt would be added soon with the completion of Thermal Power
projects at Talwandi Sabo (1980 Mega Watt), Goindwal Sahib (540 Mega Watt) and
Rajpura (1400 Mega Watt), as the work on these projects was already going on war
footing. He categorically said that with the commissioning of these thermal
power projects in 2013, in first phase 1860 Mega Watt would be added in 2013
and subsequently in second phase 2060 Mega Watt would be further added in 2014.
Mr Badal said efforts were afoot to tap hydro power potential in the state and with
the completion of Shahpur Kandi having capacity of 206 Mega Watt in 2015 and
Mukerian Hydel Project with the capacity of 18 Mega Watt, the power scenario in
state would further improve. The Chief Minister said that besides enhancing the
production of power the state government was taking path breaking initiatives
to strengthening the power transmission infrastructure in the state so that the
losses of power due to transmission and distribution could be minimized.
Realizing the power shortage in the
state, Mr Badal further said that the problem of power shortage has further
accentuated due to scanty rainfall and non-melting of snow at the high peaks of
mountains. He said that for this none was to be blamed because these factors
were within the supreme control of nature. However he said that government was
committed to purchase power from other states to meet the demand as it had
already made power purchase agreement for buying adequate electricity worth Rs
1645 crore during current year whereas Rs 1038 crore was spent for same purpose
during last year. He said that keeping in view the ever increasing demand of
power earlier the state had been coping up the situation arising out of the deficit
of power by purchasing 10% more than the previous year but for the current
financial year it had made elaborate arrangements to purchase additional power
tune to 18% over and above the last year.
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