Jharkhand aims at producing 8,000 mw electricity

The state, at present, is producing 2100 MW electricity

and is in need of power to make rapid development, he said inaugurating the 270 MW first unit of Adhunik Power and Natural Resources Ltd (APNRL), power arm of Kolkata-based Adhunik Group, at Padampur in Seraikela-Kharswan district.

He pitched for setting up of pit-head power plants as, according to him, they would be cost effective as far as transportation of minerals are concerned.

Besides the 270 MW unit of APNRL, two more power plants

including one of Abhijeet Group at Chandwa in Latehar district would become operational soon, he said and stressed on the need to strengthen the transmission system.

He appealed to the investors to chalk out a long-term policy to ensure participation of the stakeholders.

"We cannot think of the all round development of the state

if the stakeholders were not involved," he said, adding the people of the mineral-rich tribal state were ignored in development projects in the past.

This had resulted in the state lagging behind others in development, Munda said.