Goyal blames UP govt's non-cooperation for state's power mess

Says he does not want to do any politics on the issue and wants to extend all possible help to the state to tackle the problem

Power and Coal Minister Piyush Goyal today said non-cooperation of the Uttar Pradesh government and poor law and order situation are responsible for power crisis in the state.

"It is unfortunate that we have 71 MPs from the state, but we are unable to do anything on power problem in their areas due to non-cooperation of the state government," Goyal told reporters through video conferencing.

The minister, however, said he does not want to do any politics on the issue and wants to extend all possible help to the state to tackle the problem.

"During debate on power in Rajya Sabha, MPs from UP raised several questions and in my reply I had said that not a single scheme has been proposed from UP under power development fund," he said.

"The Centre wants to provide power to villages under Rajiv Gandhi Gramin Vidyutikaran Yojna, but due to poor law and order in the state no contractor is ready to work there. There is no scheme from the state government's side for solar power, nor land has been proposed for the same," he added.

Goyal said, "Without doing any politics I want to reiterate that whatever number of schemes you will give us from UP, we will find the way and implement them in the state."

He said the state had stopped taking 377 mega watt power provided from unallocated power since May 16.

The minister said that after that when the state government sent a letter, 377 MW power was again provided, but after a month or so, the state once again stopped taking it.

"We presumed that people have started getting enough power probably that's why the state stopped taking 377 MW power," he said.

Goyal said as far as central pool was concerned, honouring Gadgil formula, maximum 6,384 MW power was being provided to the state.

"Yesterday, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav talked to me over phone. I told him that after September 15 whenever he has time either I will come to Lucknow or he comes to Delhi and we will discuss solution to any issue related to power, whether its transmission or distribution," he said, adding that in UP, transmission losses are around 42 per cent.

He said that if the state does not take steps to check pilferage and reduce losses, then the Centre could not be held responsible.

The state government would have to take concrete steps, Goyal added.