A time-bound programme will be developed for reuse of the sewage treated water of Nagpur Municipal Corporation by NTPC's thermal power plant at Mouda, Maharashtra.
The Cabinet this week approved a new tariff policy which, among other things, makes usage of processed Municipal waste water mandatory for running thermal plants.
"Piyush Goyal, Minister of State (IC) for Power, Coal and New & Renewable Energy directed for a time bound programme to be developed between Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC)...And NTPC Mouda for reuse of the sewage treated water of NMC by NTPC's Thermal Power Plant at Mouda," an official statement said today.
"Goyal issued direction while chairing a meeting at Nagpur after Union Cabinet's nod to Tariff Policy for electricity which makes usage of processed municipal waste water mandatory for running thermal plants," it said.
The scheme would be a first and reflects the government's vision about the Swachh Bharat Mission, it said.
It would also help in providing more water for irrigation to the farmers as well as drinking water for Nagpur.
NTPC's Solapur plant would be taken up next for use of sewage treated water.
Other thermal power plants on the banks of the Ganga may also be asked to take up similar schemes reflecting the government's commitment for the environment and concern for the irrigation to the farmers.
Pravin Datke, Mayor, NMC Nagpur, Shravan Hardikar, Commissioner NMC, Nagpur, K K Sharma, Director Operations, NTPC Ltd amongst other senior officials attended the meeting, it said.
While speaking at 'Budget Aaj Tak' conclave earlier in the
day, Goyal said the NDA Government has fast-tracked electrification of all households in the country and it would achieve the target of 100 per cent electrification by 2019.
"When we came to power there were 30 crore people who had no access to electricity. We have brought this down to 22 crore.
"As on April 1, 2015, 18,452 villages had to power poles, but in last 10 months we have electrified 5,537 villages, while power poles have come up in 1361 villages that will get power soon and work on erecting poles in going on in 961 villages. By March 2019, all villages will have power. Active cooperation by state governments is making this happen," he said.
Asked about rising prices of essential commodities, particularly pulses, Goyal said it was wrong to say that his government did not work on it. "Prices went up because we had three consecutive failed monsoons ... But we imported pulses and brought its prices under control."
On falling crude prices, he said the government has passed on some benefit to consumers.
"But in a transparent manner we have been putting all extra revenue generated from it on major development projects," he pointed out.
