Shinde reviews centrally-funded power projects in UP

Lucknow, June 14: Union Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde today held meetings with the senior UPPCL officials at Unchahar to review the progress of various Centre-funded power projects in UP.

The projects Mr Shinde reviewed included Accelerated Power Development and Reform Project (APDRP), Rajiv Gandhi Village Electrification Programme and schemes related to energy.

The UP Rajya Vidyut Upbhokta Parishad, meanwhile, has sought from the Central government a ban on the profiteering being indulged in by the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), making the electricity boards bankrupt. It demanded a high-level probe in the matter.

In a letter faxed to the Union minister, Upbhokta Parisahd president Avadehsh Kumar Verma said the NTPC was indulging in profiteering and charging income tax from the electricity boards and corporations. This, he pointed out, was adversely affecting the consumers and the utilities were passing on the burden to consumers.

He said against the 16 per cent return of equity fixed by the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) for NTPC power houses, the profit being earned by the NTPC was much more than the permissible limit.

The visit of Mr Shinde assumes further significance in view of the protest of the state power employees over handing over the Anpara 'C' 1000 MW thermal power to a private company.

UNI