PM steps in to ease state's power woes

A multi-pronged plan has been drawn up to address the acute power shortage in Maharashtra, Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh said after a meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi today.

To begin with, Maharashtra will add 2,600 Mw of electricity in the next 10 months. This, however, will not be enough to wipe out the power deficit in the state. The current power shortfall in Maharashtra is 3,800 Mw. In April, the shortfall was over 6,000 Mw.

"The prime minister has assured coal linkages of 12.3 million tonne a year for our power plants at Koradi and Chandrapur," said Deshmukh.

The Centre is yet to specify the state from where Maharashtra will buy the coal. The power-starved state at present buys coal from Haryana, Tamil Nadu and Sikkim. The coal linkage to the power plants will be valid till the Machakatta coal block, allotted to the state, is commissioned.

"Co-ordinated efforts by various ministries are needed. The issue of power shortage in Maharashtra is very complicated and the prime minister's intervention is a must," said Deshmukh.

The central government has also committed to supply of 5.4 million cubic metres per day of gas for expansion of the Uran power plant's capacity to 1,040 Mw.