Centre rushes to aid of power-starved TN

Chennai, Jul 24 (UNI) The Congress-led UPA Government at the Centre has offered to provide 100 MW of power daily to Tamil Nadu, which was facing a power crisis and had declared staggered power holiday for industries and power cuts in the State.

After Chief Minister M Karunanidhi told Prime Minister Manmohan Singh about the power crisis being faced by the State during his meeting yesterday, Union Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde called on the Chief Minister at the Tamil Nadu House in Delhi last evening and held discussions, an official release here said.

As a follow up, Mr Shinde summoned State Electricity Minister Arcot N Veerasamy to his office this morning and offered to provide 100 MW of power to the State daily.

The 100 MW of power offered by the Centre, however, would not help the State tide over the crisis in a major way, as it was facing a shortfall of nearly 1,000 MW everyday.

The State Government had announced one hour power cut in the city and two hours in other parts of the State, with a view to save about 300 MW of power. It had also announced a staggered power holiday for industries in the State to save another 400 MW of power.

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