INLD accuses Hooda govt of bungling in power purchase

Chandigarh, May 25 (UNI) The opposition Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) in Haryana today accused the Hooda government of making two power purchase deals with a private company at higher rates, resulting into loss of crores of rupees to the state exchequer.

Talking to reporters here, INLD leader and former Finance Minister Sampat Singh also charged the Congress government with handing over precious land to the Reliance at cheap rates in Garhi Harsaru in Gurgaon district for the purpose of Special Economic Zone.

Mr Singh alleged that the Haryana government had recently signed two power purchase deals with Lanco group of Hyderbad, which he claimed was founded by a Congress MP, without going in for comepetitive bids and violating the National Electricity and Tariff policy.

Under one of these deals, he said electricty would be purchased from the 300 MW Amarkanatak thermal power project in Chhattisgarh at a rate of Rs 2.75 per unit over a period of 25 years, with a total cost of Rs 11,000 crore.

In another agreement, Haryana would purchase power from 70 MW Budhin hydel project in Himachal Pradesh at a fixed price of Rs 2.48 per unit over a period of 35 years with a total cost of Rs 20,50 crore, he added, Pointing out that the average cost of electricty generated by the state from both hydel and thermal projects was Rs two per unit, the INLD leader claimed the two deals would result into loss of crores of rupees to Haryana.

He demanded cancellation of the two agreements and a high level probe into the alleged underhand deals in them.

Regarding the sale of land to the Reliance, he said 1700 acre land acquired by the government for the SEZ in Garhi Harsaru was given to the Reliance for Rs 350 crore while the market price of the land was 8,500 crore.

He alleged that the Reliance was ''favoured'' by the Haryana government as the company was ''close'' to the UPA government at the Centre and was a ''big paymaster.'' UNI MA RL SSC1510