Shinde assures CM to resolve power crisis
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 4
Union Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde has assured the Punjab government that the Centre will ensure power supply of 100 MW to the state from the unallocated power of NTPC’s Eastern Region generation stations to tide over the position of power shortage in Punjab due to scanty rainfall during the current monsoon season.

An official press statement here today claimed an assurance to this effect was given by Shinde to Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal when the latter called on him in his office here late last evening. Badal sought the Union Power Minister’s personal intervention in the matter as Punjab was receiving only about 50 to 60 MW of power against 100 MW allocation due to coal supply problems and units being under annual maintenance. The Chief Minister also raised the issue of allocation of 1,500 MW power from 4,000 MW integrated Coal Pit Head Thermal Power Plant at Lara in Chhattisgarh as announced by the Prime Minister.

Badal also informed the power minister that the entire work concerning 2,640 MW Gidderbaha Thermal Power Plant had been virtually held up due to the non-allotment of coal block/non-allocation of coal linkages from Coal India Ltd (CIL) sources by the Standing Linkage Committee on long-term basis. He asked Shinde to impress upon the Ministry of Coal for allocation of coal block for Gidderbaha power station having coal reserves of at least 400 million tonnes. Alternatively, the Ministry of Coal may be emphasised for allocation of coal linkages from CIL sources by the Standing Linkage Committee.