Chhattisgarh ultra mega power project may be put on hold

The Akaltara project in Chhattisgarh may be put on hold due to apathy on part of the state government.

"Despite our repeated communications, the Chhattisgarh government has not conveyed its acceptance and support like other states, leading to a delay in the final distribution chart of the power allocated from the projects," a government official told reporters on the sidelines of a conference.

However, Power Secretary RV Shahi denied any major problems with the project and said, "There are some technical issues involved in the project."

The Chhattisgarh government's help is required in ensuring water, land availability at reasonable price, environmental clearance and all possible help by the district administration to the prospective developers of the project.

"The state government's response is baffling as there are many states interested in getting an ultra-mega power project," the official added.

"To get foreign investors to participate, four teams were sent to China and Korea, Australia and New Zealand, Europe and the US," Power Minister Sushilkumar Shinde announced at the same conference here.

The delegations' success could be gauged from the fact that the US exim bank had agreed to invest up to $1 billion in one of the three coastal ultra-mega power projects, Shinde added.

Speaking on the rural electrification programme, Shinde said, "We aim to electrify 40,000 villages under the Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana."