The Meghalaya government has okayed the execution of the 500 MW thermal power project by the state-run North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Limited (NEEPCO).
"One per cent of the project cost would be used for the development works in the project area in the East Garo Hills district," Meghalaya Power minister Mukul Sangma told reporters after a cabinet meeting last night.
Expressing hope that the project would create employment opportunity for local people, Sangma said 80 per cent of employment scope in C and D categories would be reserved for the locals. The project would tide over the power crisis in the state, Sangma said.
The power company has selected Narengri in East Garo Hills district as the site and the coal would be brought in from the neighbouring mines of South and East Garo Hills.
NEEPCO, officials said, had identified the project area and had carried out preliminary survey works, before the MoU signed with the government was kept in suspension for more than a year along with four other deals in the wake of a controversy over allotment of projects to private companies.
The preparation of DPR would take about an year, while the project is expected to be completed in about four years’ time, the officials said.
Although Meghalaya has a hydro-electric potential of 3000 MW, the present power generation capacity of the state is only 175 MW as against the demand of 600 MW.
