Bihar is set to get the first unit of a private power plant with a capacity of 2,647MW in Banka district, deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi said on Tuesday.
“I hope that the unit, coming up in Bausi block of Banka district, will be commissioned by 2014. Jas Infrastructure and Power Limited is an Indian company and has started its work on the plant. The power plant has also got coal linkage,” he said on the sidelines of his weekly janata darbar. Bausi in about 250km east of the state capital.
The unit would be a boon for the power-starved state, which gets 1000-1200MW a day and has been pressing for additional power from the Union government.
Modi said, “The company has acquired 800 acres for the plant and it has also got the coal linkage from Dumka district in neighbouring Jharkhand, around 85 km from Banka. There is a place called Mahuagarhi in Dumka, from where the coal linkage has been approved four years ago.”
He added that all paper work have been done and necessary clearance granted for the unit.
On the state’s share of power from the plant, Modi said, “According to Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) guidelines, Bihar will get 25 per cent of power generated at the plant.”
It means, Bihar would get about 661MW from the plant.
“Jas Infrastructure & Power Limited has so far invested Rs 2,077 crore, while the total project cost amounts to Rs 14,764 crore. The pace of construction work at the plant is satisfactory. I am sure that the unit would get commissioned by 2014. Our government is extending all possible support to the company,” Modi said.
The deputy chief minister, along with two of his cabinet colleagues, had recently reviewed the progress of the project. “A few days ago, I, along with health minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey and agriculture minister Narendra Singh, visited the spot to inspect the progress work. We saw about 140 engineers from various parts of the country and abroad are working on the project. It appeared that they are committed to meeting the deadline,” said Modi.
“One of the major challenges to put the state on the fast track of development is power. During an all-party meeting in New Delhi, we had urged the Centre to consider allocation of 50 per cent power from the proposed public sector thermal power plants in Bihar. Time and again we have raised our demand of coal linkage, which is also an important issue,” he added.
The minister also expressed concern over the “step motherly” attitude of the Centre towards the state. “If the Union government does not change its stance, the BJP will then organise a huge rally at the historic Gandhi Maidan. During the meeting, we will raise issues ranging from coal linkage to the special category status for the state. We will also highlight how the Centre neglected Bihar on many issues,” Modi said.
The BJP leader said the date of the mass agitation at Gandhi Maidan was yet to be decided.
