Orissa chief minister Naveen Patnaik today urged the Centre to provide at least 300 Mw from the Central unallocated share of the eastern power grid to Orissa for meeting the acute shortage of electricity in the state.
He also requested the Union government to restore the balance 500 Mw of power surrendered by the state from its allocated share in the Kaniha stage-II of the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) to meet the situation.
During his meeting with the Union power minister, Sushil Kumar Sindhe at New Delhi, Patnaik urged him to review the Restructured Accelerated Power Development and Reforms Programme (RAPDRP) as decided two years back.
This would enable private power distribution companies in Orissa to avail assistance under the scheme which aims at sustained reduction of transmission and distribution losses.
Completion of work under the Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana (RGGVY) in the remaining 67 percent villages in the state, providing complete documentation in respect of 33 percent villages and delay in the execution of work under RGGVY by the Central Public Sector Undertakings (CPSUs) also figured in the discussions.
The Union minister is reported to have agreed to make efforts to address specific concerns of the state.
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The CPSUs would be directed to complete the electrification of all programmed villages within a defined time frame.
Sindhe also informed that the RAPDRP is scheduled to be reviewed in July this year and efforts would be made to concede to the request of the state.
He also advised the state to complete the inspection and energisation of all villages where electrification work is over.