SRIVILLIPUTTUR: The State Government proposes to construct four new minor ports at Nagapattinam, Cuddalore, Marakkanam and Tuticorin, the Electricity Minister, Arcot N. Veerasamy, has said.
Distributing land documents to beneficiaries under the 5th phase of free land scheme near Watrap in Virudhunagar district on Friday, Mr. Veerasamy said that the ports would support the Government’s proposal to set up power plants to produce an additional 30,000 megawatt.
A total of Rs. 1.20-crore investment would come for the sector from foreign and domestic private players. Besides, it would create employment opportunity for 60,000 people, the Minister said.
Tamil Nadu was the only State that had achieved self-sufficiency in power sector, Mr. Veerasamy said, adding that the State was selling 1,500 mw of electricity to Maharashtra and Punjab. Besides, the State had the distinction of having covered all villages with electricity though 1.25 lakh villages in the country were yet to have the facility.
“Even remote habitats in hilly regions have been given solar power supply,” the Minister said.
Mr. Veerasamy told reporters that frequent powers cuts faced across the State were due to technical problems faced at two units in Neyveli and one each at North Chennai and Tuticorin.
“It will be set right in a day or two,” he said.
Stating that communal forces were predicting a snap poll for Lok Sabha, Mr. Veersamy exuded confidence that the United Progressive Alliance Government would complete its full term. The Left parties were opposing only the nuclear deal with the US.
The Bharatiya Janata Party that finalised the present alignment of the Sethusamudram Ship Channel Project, when it was in power at the Centre, was trying to rake up the Ram Sethu issue only to extract political mileage.“We are not unwanted to (Lord) Rama … We do not know about Ram Sethu. All that we want is implementation of the Sethu project for the development of the State,” Mr. Veersamy said.
Stating that Mr. Karunanidhi would not retire from the post of Chief Minister, Mr. Veersamy said that he (Mr. Karunanidhi) would be the permanent Chief Minister and continue to be in power for the next 10 to 15 years to fulfil the aspirations of the poor.
The Minister distributed benefits worth Rs.3.94 crore to 2,487 persons.
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