Target to increase power generation to meet demand: Minister

Jaunpur, Apr 18 (UNI) Uttar Pradesh Power Minister Ramvir Upadhyay today said a target of 10,000 megawatt additional power generation has been kept in the current five-year-plan to meet the electricity demands and make the state self-sufficient in power.

''To increase power generation and bridge the gap between demand and supply, Chief Minister Mayawati has doubled the budget of the Power Department by over 9,000 crore,'' Mr Upadhyay told newspersons here.

''Presently, the power demand has reached 8,500 megawatt, while only 6,500 megawatt power is available from various sources. Owing to this, 2,000 megawatt powercut is being done regularly in rural and urban areas,'' the minister informed.

He asserted the state government was leaving no stone unturned to encourage power generation. The day power generation would reach 10,000 megawatt, state would receive 24 hour power supply.

To increase power generation, the UP government was establishing 500 megawatt power generation plants in Paricha as well as Harduaganj.

Similarly, 1,000 megawatt power generation plant was being set-up in Anpara-D, he informed.

Mr Upadhyay said 75 per cent power generated at the joint sector of National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), Allahabad, would be given to UP.

He said that all these projects would be completed in the next five years, and UP will face no power scarcity.

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