Amendment bill to eliminate power theft: Shinde

Mejia, Bankura, June 19: The Centre has decided to bring an amendment bill in the next session of Parliament to check power theft in the country. Union Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde today said.

Laying the foundation stone of the 1000 MW Mejia Thermal Power Project (Phase II), he said that the ''Union cabinet has already approved the proposal and it would be implemented after the next parliament session.'' He said that the Centre has also set the power generation target at 78,000 MW during the 11th Five Year Plan to meet the growing demand of power across the country.

He said about 20,000 MW of power worth Rs 80,000 crore could be saved with the implementation of the new bill, which in turn would solve the power crisis in the country.

Mr Shinde urged the West Bengal government to speed up the work of rural electrification and assured all help to the state in solving the power problem.

Referring to the Mejia Thermal power Project, he disclosed that the export oriented project has been conceived to provide bulk power to the Commonwealth Games to be held in Delhi in 2010.

The cost of the project has been estimated at Rs 4676.89 crore.

The Power Minister said that within 2012 all the household in the country would receive electricity.

Speaking on the occasion Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said the state government has set the power generation target at 7842 MW during the 11th Five Year Plan.

Among these, he said, the Central agencies like DVC and NTPC will generate 5042 MW and the Central agencies will generate 2800 MW.

He said because of the growing need for power for industrialisation, the plan for the new power generation target has been chalked out.

He said, when this new power unit becomes operational the demand for power in Asansol, Durgapur and Bankura would be solved.

State Power Minister Mrinal Banerjee said, ''within two to three months Sagar Dighi, Santhal-D and DPL and Purulia Pump Project would generate 2470 MW of extra power.'' DVC Chairman Asim Burman, State School education Minister Partha De, MP Sunil Khan were among others who graced the occasion.

UNI