The Hindu : New Delhi News : North to get power from Himachal

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Saturday, Apr 19, 2008
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North to get power from Himachal

Special Correspondent

Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab among States that will benefit

Bids invited for power projects worth Rs. 3000 crore: Dhumal
Hydro power training institute to be set up

NEW DELHI: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal announced on Friday that the hill State would provide 2000 MW of power to various States in the northern region, including Rajasthan, Haryana and Punjab during the current summer season.

Speaking at the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry seminar “Destination Himachal — new investment opportunities” in the Capital here, Mr. Dhumal said the focus would be on Private Public Partnership (PPP) to ensure accelerated and balanced development of the State. Himachal would generate around 12,000 MW of power by 2012.

To carry the power sector reforms forward and harness the State’s potential, the government had invited bids for hydro electric projects worth Rs. 3,000 crore and invited investments by private players and PSUs.

Mr. Dhumal said a hydro power training institute would be set up on the pattern of the one functioning in United States.

Stressing the need to upgrade infrastructure, Mr. Dhumal said night landing facilities would be introduced at Kangra, Kullu and Shimla airports in the current financial year.

The runways in Shimla and Kullu airports would be extended for bigger aircraft. That would pave the way for cheaper air travel and allow bigger airlines to introduce their services.

He said identity cards would be issued to all workers and employees in the government and the private sector.

The working hours for export oriented units had been relaxed and now workers could work overtime for up to 75 hours in quarter.

The government had permitted women to work in two shifts in factories and in all three shifts in BPO, software and Information Technology-related services.

He said the Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh industrial area would be provided with an alternative road connectivity from the Ambala-Mohali expressway.

The Central government had agreed to conduct a survey for four-laning the Pinjore-Baddi-Nalagarh road.

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