The Hindu : Other States / Chattisgarh News : Chhattisgarh blames Centre for power crisis

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Wednesday, May 18, 2005

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Chhattisgarh blames Centre for power crisis

Says its share from Central quota being diverted to Maharashtra

RAIPUR: The Chhattisgarh State Electricity Board has blamed the Centre for the power crises in the State after it reduced its Central power quota by 378 MW.

According to the Board, the Ministry of Power has withheld its due share of 378 MW from the Central power quota, part of which is being diverted to Maharashtra, making the State power deficit. CSEB Chairman Rajeev Ranjan said here that an all-party delegation led by Chief Minister Raman Singh had met Union Power Minister P.M. Sayeed recently in this matter.

Mr. Ranjan is also likely to meet senior power officials in New Delhi today where the issue would be discussed in detail.

He said some Eastern region power-surplus States had not withdrawn power from the Central power quota following which the Centre distributed this surplus power to other States on a temporary basis. "We'll ask the Centre to lend this power to Chhattisgarh."

The State will also lay its claim on the power-surplus States' undistributed power quota besides demanding the power that was given to such States, who sold it to other States at a higher cost.

The State Board chief said Chhattisgarh's share of 60 MW of Central power quota out of a total of 90 MW being supplied to Maharashtra should be returned to the State.

Though the State is in the Western Grid, it will continue to demand power from the Eastern Grid, as many Eastern States had surplus power, Mr. Ranjan said.

Power consumption had increased by two-and-half folds since Chhattisgarh became a State. The Centre had slashed almost 25 per cent of the State's production capacity and created an imbalance. He said the State had been demanding 1053 MW of power from the Centre of which 504 MW was its share from the Central pool, 299 MW from hydel-power projects and 250 MW from the undistributed quota. But it was receiving only 235 MW of power.

"The eight per cent share from the Chhattisgarh-based National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) which is 504 MW power is also being denied to us as we are only receiving 210 MW."

He said 27 per cent of the State's power was being distributed to Bhilai Steel Plant, South-eastern Railways and South-eastern Coal Region, following which there was a load shedding of two-and-half hours to several areas of the State.

The CSEB had earned a profit of Rs. 650 crore last year but this year profit margins are likely to dip as the State would be spending Rs 80-85 crore for purchasing power as against Rs. 46 crore last year. The State was purchasing 150 MW of power at present but the demand would increase to 350 MW in July, he added. -- UNI

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Chhattisgarh blames Centre for power crisis