Kar CM urges for mega project status benefits to Bellary unit

Bangalore, July 21 (UNI) Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy today urged the Centre to accord mega project status benefits to Bellary thermal power project.

Addressing a national seminar on power here he said "I would request the Union Power Minister to take a balance view on the subject and to consider the state's request in extending the tax benefits." The concept of mega projects has been mooted by the Centre and it identified five locations in the country, he recalled.

With open access provisions coming into effect, it had become necessary for states to share power during periods of surplus with those in distress and under such curcumstances Bellary power would also support the national grid in times of need, he said.

The Chief Minister appealed to the Centre to allocate gas for the Bidadi project so that 1400 mw of power could be produced besides the assured supply of coal to the state for thermal power generation. "If new blocks are given I assure that we will start work on at least 3000 mws of power," he added.

To meet the shortage of 3775 mw of power in the coming years the state had taken all measures and in this regard a detailed project reports was under preparation, he revealed. "KPCL has adopted the Vision Statement 2025 and we have plans for developing a few more sites throughout the state and also look at the prospects of going in for super critical boilers in the new locations," he said.

The first 500 mw unit in Bellary was going to be commissioned by September and would pump power to the grid this financial year and the work on unit two of 500 mw at Bellary was progressing faster than expected, he said.

Power Finance Corporation Chairman V K Garg said that the state would be provided with Rs 30,000 crore in the 11th plan and Rs 45,000 crore in the 12th plan for taking up power projects.

UNI