Orissa cannot claim incentives for loss in power sector:Centre

New Delhi, Dec 3 (UNI) Former Union Minister and BJP Leader Jual Oram has said the Centre has rejected the proposal of the Orissa government for grant of incentives to the state for the loss-making power sector.

Mr Oram told UNI that he had raised the question in Parliament on whether Orissa had submitted any proposal to provide incentives for loss reduction of the Grid Corporation of Orissa (GRIDCO), the power distribution company, and four other private distribution companies which were dealing with the retail business in the state.

Quoting the statement of Union Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, Mr Oram said the state government could not claim incentives as the power sector in the state had been privatised.

''An incentive claim was filed by the Government of Orissa for achieving cash loss reduction under incentive component of Accelerated Power Development and Reforms Programme (APDRP). Since the distribution of power in Orissa has been privatised, the state is not eligible as per the guidelines of the APDRP,'' Mr Shinde had said.

UNI PAT MSJ ND1134