The dispute of power division between Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh is still inconclusive even after almost one year after the formation of the new state.
The issue of division of power from five interstate power projects can create a new problem for Madhya Pradesh. The state has five interstate power projects of 858.5 mw capacity. If the Chhattisgarh State Electricity Board claims its stake of 26 per cent, Madhya Pradesh's stake in these projects, which stands at 485 mw, will be reduced 360 mw from interstate power projects. This can trigger another power crisis in the state.
According to highly placed sources, Chhattisgarh State Electricity Board can claim its stake very soon from interstate power projects. Madhya Pradesh and other states have interstate power projects such as Rana Sagar power project (MP-Rajasthan) of 172 mw (MP gets 86 mw), Jawahar Sagar (MP-Rajasthan) of 99 mw (MP gets 49.5 mw), Pench-Totladoh (MP-Maharashtra) of 160 mw (MP gets 107 mw), Gandhi Sagar (MP-Rajasthan) of 115 mw (MP gets 57.5 mw), One unit Satpura (MP-Rajasthan) of 312.5 mw (MP gets 185 mw).
Gopal Tiwari, chairman of Chhattisgarh State Electricity Board, declined to comment on the issue. But sources informed that Chhattisgarh Electricity Board had indicated that it would soon meet and demand its share of 26 per cent from the Madhya Pradesh State Electricity Board.
A series of meetings have been organised quite a few times between the top officials of the two states on the division of power, but Chhattisgarh is reluctant to share the half of the 1360 mw of power generated at the power utilities in Chhattisgarh.
In terms of production, the undivided Madhya Pradesh had 4,260 mw of power while after the division it has been reduced to only 2,900 mw of power (demand is 5500 mw during peak hours), while Chhattisgarh has now 1360 mw of power.
Chhattisgarh is now generating 38 per cent of total power against the consumption of only 21 per cent to cater to an area of 26.62 per cent of Madhya Pradesh. While undivided Madhya Pradesh had total production of 68 per cent, consumption stood at 79 per cent.
Similarly Chhattisgarh State Electricity Board has liabilities for only 26.62 per cent area of undivided Madhya Pradesh, while Madhya Pradesh has liabilities for 73.38 percent.
``It is not only power in fact the human resources is another issue of division between the two states," said a top official of the state electricity board. Though, RS Julania, member finance and resources mobilisation, said: "The Chhattisgarh board has agreed to accept the employees of the former Madhya Pradesh Electricity Board." The sources have informed that CSEB has changed the recruitment norms for recruitment of assistant grade-II.
The board, according to sources, has recruited engineering graduates for the posts against the MPSB norms of essential qualifications of ITI diploma in electrical trade.
