Jharkhand changed power policy to help Adani: Opposition

Ranchi, Sep 20: Jharkhand's opposition parties have alleged that the Raghubar Das government here has changed the power policy of 2012 to benefit Adani Power in the state.

The Jharkhand cabinet had on Monday made some changes in its 2012 power policy.

As per the earlier policy, any power company setting up plant in Jharkhand was bound to provide 25 per cent of the generated power to the state.

Of the 25 per cent 13 per cent was to be provided at fixed rate by the Jharkhand Electricity Regulatory Commission while the remaining 12 at the production cost rate.

Under the new policy, the power company will now provide 12 per cent power at production cost only if the Jharkhand State Mineral Development Corporation provided coal at cheaper rate.

The opposition parties have alleged that the BJP government in the state made the changes to help the Adani group's power company. Adani Power has refused to provide power to the state at production rate.

Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) General Secretary Supriyo Bhattacharya told IANS: "At the behest of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the BJP government here ...is formulating policy to grab tribal land and help the corporates. The power policy was changed to help Adani Power ..."

"Now the state will purchase power at rate fixed by the commission which will be much higher than the production cost," said Bhattacharya, adding, "the proposed changes in the land acts were also to help the corporate houses".

Congress spokesperson Kishore Sahdeo said that Raghubar Das was giving in to demands of the corporate houses. He said that land acts and power policy were being changed for the same.

Sahdeo said, "There should be a high level probe to investigate the circumstances under which the power policy and land acts were being changed."

He accused, "The Raghubar Das government first reduced land rates in Santhal Pargana to help Adani and now they are making policy changes to benefit the same company."

The opposition parties had raised objection over the state's move to make changes in the power and land policies during the assembly session this year.

Adani Power has planned to set up 1600 MW thermal power plant in Sanathal Pargana which will be supplied to Bangladesh.

In June the then Energy secretary S.K. Rahate had gone on a long leave as he refused to bow down to make the changes.

Rahate had noted that Jharkhand will suffer a loss of Rs 2000 crore if the environment cess was not taken from Adani Power.

IANS