The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Lower measure of power projects: YSR

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Dec 21, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Lower measure of power projects: YSR

By Our Special Correspondent

The Chief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, with the Union Minister, Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, in New Delhi on Monday.

NEW DELHI, DEC. 20. The Chief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, on Monday urged the Centre to consider change the definition of mega power projects to lower their cost in order to pass on the benefits to users.

Dr. Reddy asked the Union Power Minister, P.M. Sayeed, that by lowering the measure of mega projects from current 1,000 MW to 250 MW, the project cost would come down since imported machinery would not attract 16 per cent excise duty.

He argued that besides bringing down the cost of the project, it would result in producing cheaper power.

Mr. Sayeed said that the Union Finance Ministry had raised certain objections to the suggestion and would have to be attended to.

Water issue

The Chief Minister also expressed problem in providing water for the NTPC Ramagundam plant from the Sripadasagar project and suggested it could be procured from Yellampally instead. The Union Minister said since the move could entail pushing up the cost of power which was at present being supplied to neighbouring States of Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, other States would have to consulted. The Minister also sought to know whether Andhra Pradesh was willing to buy the entire power produced by the thermal plant at enhanced rates provided other States expressed unwillingness to purchase it at higher cost. The Chief Minister said the State Government would do so.

Dr. Reddy also met the Roads and Transport Minister, T.R. Baalu, and urged him to expedite construction of highways in the State. The Minister said that the process was on and the Ministry was seeking to allocate funds in the next Budget.

He also took up the problems of Visakhapatnam Port Trust where the promised 5 per cent jobs on compassionate grounds were not fulfilled.

VPT appointments

He said the problem became acute after freeze on appointments and suggested that the reservation be extended to contract appointments.

In his meeting with the Defence Minister, Pranab Mukherjee, the Chief Minister urged that examination for recruitment in local areas be conducted in regional languages. He said prospective recruits were at a handicap since at present the tests were being conducted in English or Hindi. The State Government also asked that the National Defence University be set up at Hyderabad. The Defence Minister assured the matter would be considered. The Chief Minister also met the Rural Development Minister, Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, and urged him to help the State battle the problem of fluorosis in groundwater, especially in Telangana region.

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