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Dadri power plant delayed by lack of gas: Minister

Special Correspondent

Project is promoted by Reliance Energy Limited

LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh Government admitted in the Assembly on Tuesday that non-availability of gas had delayed the Dadri power plant.

State Energy Minister Ramveer Upadhyaya said in the Vidhan Sabha during the Question Hour that once gas is made available steps would be taken to complete the power plant at Dadri in Noida (Gautam Buddha Nagar district). He was replying to Shyamdev Roy Chowdhary of Bharatiya Janata Party, who wanted to know about the fate of the gas-based power project. The project is being promoted by Reliance Energy Limited of Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group.

The Energy Minister unwittingly supported the contention of Leader of Opposition and former Chief Minister, Mulayam Singh, who charged the United Progressive Alliance Government at the Centre for not ensuring the gas availability for the mega power project.

Mr. Singh said as per the terms of agreement with the promoters of the project, Uttar Pradesh was to get 1500 MW of power from the station. However, differences with the Centre over the latter’s refusal to ensure the supply of the gas ensured that the project hit a road block, the Leader of Opposition said.

Accusing the BJP of misleading the House, Mr. Singh said three times of the cost of Dadri land had been given as compensation to the farmers. The former Chief Minister said additional capacity of 1930 MW had been created during the Samajwadi Party regime.

Pramod Tiwari of the Congress defended the Central Government and said gas could not have been supplied to Dadri or Ghaziabad. He alleged that the land was disputed and excess land had been given at ratesbelow the existing market rates.

The Congress member said the responsibility for the delay in the completion of the project was that of the previous Government and not that of the Centre.

Mr. Singh blamed Mr. Tiwari for misleading the House. He said the Centre refused to sign the mandatory agreement with the State Government for the supply of gas. The former Chief Minister alleged that the Congress and the Central Government extended financial support to farmers’ agitation in Dadri.

Earlier, the Energy Minister was blamed by Samajwadi MLAs for coming unprepared to the House when he failed to provide timely answer to what was the State’s share for withdrawing electricity from the Central pool.

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Dadri power plant delayed by lack of gas: Minister

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