Centre wants to create power crisis in MP: BJP

Bhopal, Oct 21 (UNI) Madhya Pradesh's Bharatiya Janata Party government today alleged that the Centre's Congress-led United Progressive Alliance regime wanted to create a power crisis in this poll-bound state.

''That is why the Centre is not only slashing the state's electricity quota but also reduced coal availability for power stations. The Centre is doing this so that it can derive electoral mileage by holding the state's BJP government responsible. Madhya Pradesh requires about 6,600 MW but is being supplied roughly 6,000 MW from various sources,'' state Public Works Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya told reporters here.

The Minister said that, under the central quota, Madhya Pradesh was entitled to 200 MW from the Damodar Valley Project but was receiving only 28 MW and similar cuts were being effected in other projects.

''The state's Sarni Power Station has only five days' coal stock left while the Birsinghpur Station has two days' stock. Madhya Pradesh is being supplied with five instead of seven rakes of coal daily. The state government is purchasing power for supply to citizens,'' he added.

Trashing the main opposition Congress allegations of corruption in power purchase, Mr Vijayvargiya claimed that the purchase was under the Central Power Act, 2003. Regarding the Congress accusation of corruption by state ministers, the Minister challenged the Centre's Congress-led regime to have a probe conducted by any agency.

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