SP accuses Centre of trying to scuttle Dadri power project

New Delhi, Nov 16 (UNI) Accusing the UPA government of making efforts to scuttle Reliance Energy Ltd's 3,740-MW gas-based power project at Dadri in Uttar Pradesh, the Samajwadi Party today said it would raise the issue vociferously in the coming winter session of Parliament.

''We are going to raise the issue in Parliament's winter session to expose the UPA government's conspiracy to abort one of the most ambitious power projects in the country,'' SP General Secretary Amar Singh told a press conefernce here.

''While raising the issue, we will train our guns on Petroleum Minister Murli Deora, who is trying to throw a spanner in the project by preventing gas supply,'' Mr Singh said.

Mr Singh, who is also the chairman of the UP State Industrial Development Corporation, said the real intention of the UPA government was to prevent the project from getting off the ground as long as the SP was in power in the state.

''The assembly elections are due early next year, and the UPA government's game plan is to delay the project and even scuttle it,'' he alleged.

He said the Dadri power project plan was submitted to the state government by a combined Reliance group. Later, the modalities for supplying gas to it were finalised, which were approved by the high Court.

''Now Mr Deora has come out with a rather unusual argument that his ministry will decide on the supply of gas to the project as it (gas) is a precious thing for the country,'' he said.

He also accused the UPA government of sanctioning projects to Uttaranchal but depriving Uttar Pradesh of any developmental projects in view of the next year's assembly elections.

UNI/SKS CS RK1642