PM lays foundation for power grid strengthening

Solapur, Sep 1: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today laid the foundation stone of one of the largest grid strengthening schemes for the western region.

The Rs 5,222 crore project is the Power Grid Corporation of India (PGCI) strengthening scheme-II. Of the total amount, Rs 3,600 crore would be excecuted by power grid and the balance Rs 1,622 crore would be constructed under 100 per cent private participation.

The project will be completed by 2008-09 and will facilitate the import of 4,000 mega watt of power from the eastern and north eastern regions of the country to the central and western states like Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat and Maharashtra.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Singh said despite the western region being the most developed area of the country, it has faced severe power deficit in the past eight to 10 years. Whereas in the east, electricity is available in abundance. Due to the new System Strengthening Scheme (SSS), electricity from the east could be imported to the western areas easily, he added.

The Prime Minister said in the next 25 years, expenditure on the electricity would increase by six times.

''We have to ensure that the power generation should be increased from the targetted 120,000 to 800,000 MW,'' he noted.

Dr Singh said his government has been taking several steps to improve the electricity generation scenario in the country. For this, he has to concentrate on various measures including electricity conservation and its correct usage.

He reiterated that the focus should be on generating electricity from other sources like hydroelectric, wind, solar and nuclear, apart from thermal production.

Efforts were also being taken to have a national grid for the entire country where the electricity generation could be ensured at cheap rates and the benefits could reach to each and every remote area in the country, he added.

The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone of the Humanities building of the Solapur University.

UNI