Govt to invest Rs 2550 cr in DPL: Power Minister

Durgapur, Mar 31 (UNI) The West Bengal government will pump in Rs 2,550 crores to help Durgapur Projects Limited(DPL) come out of red and be a profit making concern.

Inagurating a 300 MW No seven unit of the DPL, Power Minister Mrinal Banerjee here today said the government will invest Rs 1,350 crores in the plant. DPL, was earlier incurring a deficit of Rs 1500 crore.

'' As DPL is making profits, we intend to set up more power plants to meet the state's demand,'' he said.

He also laid the foundation stone of Unit No 7A of the same capacity and said Rs 1200 crores will be invested in this regard.

'' This unit was planned to be installed in the 11th five year plan and necessary clearance had been obtained from both the state and Centre,'' he said and added that floating of tenders had already started.

The DPL will also install 500 to 660 MW power generating units under the plan, he informed.

Assuring jobs for the disabled and a few contractual labourers, Mr Banerjee said more than 250 of such labourers will be provided employment.

At present, the plant produces 1570 MW of power in the usual time and 2470 MW during peak hours, Mr Banerjee said adding that the profit margin would be used to uplift the condition of DPL and its workers.

''A part of the profit will be used as our Corporate Social Responsibilty (CSR),'' Mr Banerjee stated.

He further informed that the production of the unit was scheduled to start by March this year but has been deferred till March next year following the ''lackadaisical attitude'' of the Chinese contractor Dong Sung Electric Corporation, which was delaying the project thereby causing loss to the state exchequer.

UNI XC PP KK SS1446