Energy crisis will lessen: Shinde

Pune, Mar 16 (UNI) Union Energy Minister Sushilkumar Shinde today said that with the start of Dabhol power project from May one, the power crisis faced by Maharashtra will certainly be reduced.

Mr Shinde, who visited Pune for the first time after assuming the energy portfolio at the Centre, said this while addressing a huge gathering of the Congress workers today.

He said 740 megawatts of power will be generated from the said project which, in turn, would be utilised to provide energy during peak hours.

He said the UPA government was making concerted efforts to procure energy from various sources in order to minimise the power crisis faced by the most progresssive state in the country.

The Minister said the government has proposed five plant projects, which are expected to generate around 4,000 megawatts of power. Out of them, three projects will be run on naphta, while the other two on coal, he informed.

Once all the five projects become operational within the next four to five years, the country can considerably redeem itself of the power crisis, Mr Shinde said, adding each project will cost the national exchequer a whopping Rs 16,000 crore.

Mr Shinde, who was the former chief minister, said the government has also decided to allow the private players to produce power so as to lessen the burden. The private players will be an added incentive, he added.

On the electricity theft, the Minister said the government has chalked out a plan and stringent measures will be adopted to curb it.

The government is also pursuing rigorously the Rajiv Gandhi Energy distribution plan which, in turn, will cater to the needs of the economically backward areas and the villagers, Mr Shinde added.

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