 "Odisha urged to finalize land rate, rehab package for Dulanga block")
The Union power ministry has urged the Odisha government to expedite finalization of land rates and rehabilitation package for the Dulanga coal block awarded to NTPC.
The ministry pointed out that as the decision on the two key milestones of coal mining is still pending at the state government level since September 2010, NTPC could not initiate work on developing the block.
The Dulanga coal block is crucial for NTPC's MW super thermal power plant proposed at Darlipalli in western Odisha's Sundargarh district.
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NTPC hopes to commission its 1600 (2x800) MW super thermal power plant by 2018.
Of 1274.9 acres private land needed for the power project's main plant, the state government has issued possession certificate for 1205.79 acres. Alienation proposals for 339.49 acres of government land are in different stages of processing. The maharatna firm needed 1652 acres of land for this power station, the cost of which has been estimated at Rs 12850.07 crore.
Notification under Section 4 (1) of Land Acquisition Act has been issued for 32.36 acres of private land required for rehabilitation & resettlement colony. Moreover, administrative approval has been issued for acquisition of 55 acres private land for the Merry Go Round (MGR) system.
The Darlipalli super thermal power project will draw water from the Hirakud reservoir in the Mahanadi river. NTPC has secured coal linkage for this project in the form of Dulanga coal block with mine capacity of seven million tonnes per annum (mtpa) under command area of Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd (MCL) and Pakri Barwadih block in Bihar's Hazaribagh district with 12.5 million tonne per annum (mtpa).
Odisha will get 50% power from the Darlipalli super thermal plant. NTPC has also committed to establish a medical college near Sundergarh.
NTPC is also building another 1600 MW power plant at Gajamara in Dhenkanal district. For this project, notification under Section 4 (1) of Land Acquisition Act has been re-issued on June 20, 2012 for 796.33 acres of private land for main plant and township. NTPC will set up a power engineering institute at Dhenkanal that is linked to its Gajamara plant.