Patna, Aug. 27: Decrying Prime Minister Narendra Modi's special package for Bihar as a bundle of lies, state energy minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav on Thursday said all the power projects that have been made part of the special package were old.
"There is nothing new in the special package as far as the power sector is concerned," Bijendra said. To buttress his point, he revealed that Satluj hydropower project, which had been included in the special package, already existed as a joint venture of the Himachal Pradesh government and the Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited (SJVNL).
The energy minister said the SJVNL would generate power and sell it to the states. "The SJVNL is a commercial unit and will provide power to the states on its own tariff. Undoubtedly, it will make investments to earn profit," Bijendra said, adding that Bihar would get 50 per cent of the power from the ultra mega project.
The minister further pointed out the Banka ultra power project, which would generate 4000MW, and the Kajra-Pirpainti power plants as old schemes.
"In fact, almost all the projects are two to three years old. The Prime Minister has only repackaged the schemes to create confusion in the minds of the voters in Bihar," he said.
A sum of Rs 20,000 crore, as per the special package, would be spent on power projects in the state. Taking a dig at the Deen Dayal Upadhyay Gram Jyoti Yojana, the power minister said the state would have to bear additional financial expenses as the state's share in the new provisions.
"Earlier, the state would have to spend Rs 800 crore as its share. Now the amount has gone up to Rs 3,000 crore per annum," he said. He added that the issue was raised at the meeting of power ministers in Assam but no decision had been taken on this front.
He apprehended that the hike in the state's share would affect the ambitious scheme of installing power feeders for agriculture purposes. He also criticised the centre for providing power to the state from Barh Thermal Power Station on a higher rate when compared to other states.
The state, as a result, had to purchase 200-250MW from the open market.
Two eastern states had already refused to purchase power from the said unit due to high tariff, the minister said.
