Five ultra mega projects to reduce power deficit

New Delhi, Feb 22 (UNI) Five ultra mega projects, generating 4,000 MW of power, will be set up across the country to bridge the gap between the demand and supply of electricity, Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde informed the Lok Sabha today.

These projects will come up in Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, Mr Shinde said in reply to a supplementary.

The private sector will also be involved. Foreign Direct Investment could also be used, he said.

''This was discussed at my meeting with FICCI members yesterday.'' He said there had been a delay in execution of a few Central sector projects for the Tenth Plan target envisaged at the time of Mid-Term Appraisal.

He said power generation, which was 81 per cent by 2004 end appraisal, would be increased to 92 per cent by the next appraisal.

UNI YJ LR ND1302