7 Thermal Power stations to be set up in K'taka

Gulbarga, Sept 19: Seven more thermal power stations will be set up in Karnataka at a cost of Rs 17,000 crore to generate 5,000 MW power, PWD and Energy Minister H D Revanna said today.

Addressing a press conference here, he said a power project at a cost of Rs 750 crore would be launched on November one by Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy to ensure 24-hour power supply to single phase consumers. Besides, 450 sub-stations in the State would be set up at a cost of Rs 1,750 crore to do away with fluctations.

He said that under the Rajiv Gandhi Village Electricity Scheme, 54 lakh below poverty line families would get free power supply.

The Government would spend Rs 1,200 crore per annum to implement it.

Mr Revanna said development of 3,000 km State highway would be taken up by utilising funds from NABARD. A high-level meeting in this regard would be held on September 23 in Bangalore, he added.

He said the Government was awaiting the report of the K C Reddy Commission to identify roads to be developed. ''Once the report is received, works will be started.'' The Minister said the Chief Minister would stay in Gulbarga for two days after the Belgaum Assembly session to review the condition of roads and electricity in the area.

Later, he laid a foundation stone for a 33 KV power sub-station at Gabbur-b village in the district.

UNI