Bihar threatens to scrap pact with NTPC, BHEL

Faced with acute shortage of power, Bihar government has threatened to scrap the joint ventures with NTPC and BHEL if the two central agencies fail to complete the renovation and maintenance work of the Barauni and Kanti thermal power plants on time.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar held a meeting to assess the power situation here last evening, wherein the matter relating to alleged inordinate delay being made by these central agencies in completing work on the two state units came up for discussion.

The meeting was attended by state Energy Minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav, deputy chairman of the State Planning Board N K Singh, Bihar State Electricity Board (BSEB) chairman Swapan Mukherjee and state energy secretary Rajesh Gupta.

Kumar was annoyed with the power scenario and enquired about the progress of ongoing renovation and maintenance work of Barauni and Kanti thermal power plants, an official spokesperson said today.

Kumar said he would meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the first week of October over Bihar's power problems, while state Chief Secretary A K Choudhary would meet the Union Power Secretary R V Shahi on September 28.

When contacted, Yadav said "if the central agencies assigned the job of completing the restoration work of one unit each of Barauni and Kanti by March-April next, cannot do the work, they should tell us in clear terms".

"We will then explore other available options and get the work done", he added.