BANGALORE: The Government is holding talks with Punjab to buy 250 MW of power to meet the electricity shortage in the State, Home Minister M.P. Prakash informed the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday.

Replying to Channasabasavaraj Shankararo Nadagouda (Congress) during Question Hour, Mr. Prakash said talks were also being held with other States.

Power consumption had touched 130 million units a day this month against 110 million units in April last year. Power generation had not increased to keep up with the demand, Mr. Prakash said in his reply on behalf of Minister for Energy and Public Works H.D. Revanna.

The Energy Department was resorting to unscheduled load shedding in rural areas. One of the reasons for the power shortage was the 27 per cent loss in transmission and distribution (T&D).

Over a lakh unauthorised irrigation pumpsets and installation of inferior quality transformers were other reasons for the power crisis. There were 12 lakh irrigation pumpsets in the State, he said.

Police modernisation

Replying to Jayaprakash Hegde (independent), Mr. Prakash said Rs. 5 crore had been set aside for modernisation of the State's police force.

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