All-party delegation from Bihar calls on PM

New Delhi, Apr 6: An all-party delegation from Bihar, led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, today met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and sought 50 per cent of power generated at NTPC's two upcoming plants in the state. The delegation also sought coal linkages to expansion plans of 500 MW Barauni thermal power unit in the state.

In a memorandum submitted to the Prime Minister, the delegation requested for allotment of 50 per cent of electricity generated at Barh stage I and Kahalgaon stage II thermal power plants to the host state (Bihar) as is in the case of 14 NTPC units coming up in different states. The two plants are in the process of completion.

State Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi, Energy Minister Vijendra Yadav, leader of opposition in State Assembly and RJD leader Abdul Bari Siddiqui, Gulam Gaus (RJD), Sadanand Singh (Congress), Kedar Pandey(CPI), Basudev Singh (CPM) and Zakir Hussain Khan (LJP) were part of the delegation.

The Prime Minister, after receiving the memorandum, promised that the demands will be looked into, Kumar told reporters. "This is a minimum demand we have made to the Centre and we hope the Union government would fullfill it," the Chief Minister added. "The Barauni power plant is a central government unit and hence it is the responsibility of the Centre to ensure regular coal supply for its two new units of 250 MW each which are in final stages," he said.

PTI