Punjab govt to lay stress on power sector

Chandigarh, June 10 (UNI) For the economic resurgence of Punjab, the state government under Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has drawn up a blueprint for adding 6000 MW power in the next five years.

The blueprint emphasis that 500 MW would be generated in the next six months.

"We will encourage individual and cluster captive power generation and the industrialists who want to bring power from other states will be allowed to do so", Mr Badal who completed his 100 days in office yesterday stated.

" We are determined to make Punjab a " Power Surplus State" and my rndeavour will also be the simplification of procedures and delivery of services" he said while pointing out that power was the key for the success of the industrial sector whose growth rate had slummed to 2.8 per cent.

He pointed that the previous government spent Rs 10,000 crores on the purchase of power in the last five years. "Had this amount been spent on the generation of power, it would have resulted in generation of 1500 MW of power" he said while pointing out that it was poor planning on the part of the previous government that had created a power crisis in the state.

According to the chief minister the Centre had cleared the proposal of state government in principle for setting up of three thermal plants at Talwandi Sabo, Nabha and Goindwal Sahib to augment the power supply in the state.

Since assuming power in March this year, Mr Badal has been laying a lot of stress on trade and industry in the state as he feels that industry was the lifeline of Punjab since agriculture was no more profitable due to the diminishing returns on produce as compared to high cost of agricultural inputs.

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