World Bank aid for power projects in northeast

Agartala, Jan 28: The

would provide the major share of a Rs.8,150-crore project to create infrastructure in the power sector in six northeastern states, officials said here Tuesday.

State-owned Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (PGCIL) would execute the World Bank-aided projects in six of the eight northeastern states of India.

"The PGCIL last year signed agreements with Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland and Tripura for implementation of the 'North Eastern Region Power System Improvement Project'," an official of the Tripura power department told IANS.

He said: "The World Bank would provide a major portion of the Rs.8,150 crore ambitious project as loan. Under this project, power transmission lines, transmission sub-stations and related works would be done in a phased manner."

The PGCIL, a "Navaratna" power transmission company, would also provide technical and managerial support for inter-state transmission and distribution systems.

Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar reviewed at a meeting Monday the various ongoing power sector projects in his state.

The official said the union government has recently decided to implement a new 'Smart Grid Projects (SGP)' in 14 cities across the country on pilot-basis at a cost of Rs.200 crore.

The 14 cities include Agartala, the only city in the northeastern region, where the SGP will be executed.

The SGP will be a digital technology that allows for two-way communication between the utility and its customers, as well as monitoring of the transmission lines for efficient use of electricity.

The official said the Tripura State Electricity Corporation would soon undertake the preliminary works to lay underground power transmission lines in the capital city and its outskirts.

IANS