Centre should provide 1500 MW power to Maharshtra: Munde

Mumbai, Feb 14 (UNI) BJP General Secretary Gopinath Munde today said the Centre should provide 1,500 MW power to Maharashtra to overcome the state's power shortage of 5,500 MW.

Mr Munde, who held energy portfolio during the Shiv Sena-BJP government, informed reporters that apart from this, the Centre should also provide gas for the Uran and Dabhol power projects, which would reduce unprecendented power crunch in the State.

The purchase of 600 MW power from Andhra Pradesh would not solve the problem, said Mr Munde and demanded that even though the government may purchase power from other states at higher rate, its effect should not come on the consumers.

He said the State government always claimed that 12,500 MW power would be generated from the private power projects but no development has taken place in any of the projects and the agrements remained merely on paper.

He said if the government would not take any action, there would be 24-hour load shedding in many parts of the state, adding that at present the rural areas of Maharashtra were not getting power supply for 15 days.

Mr Munde also pointed out that load sheding will also adversely affect water supply.

Criticising Deputy Chief Minister R R Patil and Energy Minister Dilip Valse Patil for their observations of holding Shiv Sena-BJP responsible for present situation, Mr Munde said the Congress-NCP alliance has been in power for the last seven and half years and they should first clarify as to what efforts they made to generate more power during that period.

UNI