Govt asks States to place orders for power projects by Mar 31

New Delhi, Feb 19 (UNI) The government today asked States to place all the orders for proposed power projects to be commissioned during the eleventh plan, latest by March end this year.

''I once again ask all the States to ensure that all the orders be placed latest by 31st March 2008,'' Power Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said at the conference of Chief Secretaries here.

In the Chief Minister's Conference on power sector on May 28, last year, it was unanimously decided that placement of orders for power projects proposed to be commissioned during 11th Plan had to be completed by December 2007.

''However, owing to problems in some States, the orders for projects aggregating to 11,125 MW in the State sector are yet to be placed,'' he added.

Mr Shinde said the government is fully committed to achieving the target of quality power for all, at an affordable rate by the end of 11th Plan.

The government has set a target of capacity addition of 78,577 MW during the 11th Plan period.

Presently, the country has a total installed capacity of 1,41,000 MW.

''More than half of the capacity that has been added in the last six decades is planned to be added in the next five years,'' Mr Shinde said.

He said over the last four decades, the Central share in the electricity generation has been constantly increasing while that of the States has been decreasing.

In 1979, the Central share was just 12 per cent which has now increased to 35 per cent.

During the same period, the States' share in generation has decreased from 82 per cent to 55 per cent.

''Electricity being a vital input for both economic and social development, it is imperative that States actively pursue their capacity addition programmes and not depend only on the Central Sector or Private Sector projects,'' he said.

The Minister said the government need to ensure that every village is electrified by 2009 and every household has an electricity connection by 2012.

UNI MP PBB AS1744