Minister of state for energy and coal Piyush Goyal inaugurates the power plant in Kanti on Saturday. Picture by Lokesh Bihari

Muzaffarpur, Nov. 15: The inauguration of the power unit at Kanti was marked by a promise of more power and a war of words between the chief minister and central ministers from Bihar.

Minister of state for energy and coal (independent charge) Piyush Goyal announced the setting up of an ultra mega power project in the state with six units of 660MW each to cater to the needs of the eastern states.

Goyal was at Kanti, 20km from Muzaffarpur, to inaugurate and commercial declaration of 110MW unit 2 of Muzaffarpur Thermal Power Station (MTPS), now known as Kanti Bijlee Utpadak Nigam Limited (KBUNL). MTPS, with a capacity of 2x110MW, was owned by the Bihar State Electricity Board (BSEB). Both units of the station were shut down. Today, it is a power station of KBUNL, which is a subsidiary of NTPC (65 per cent) in a joint venture with the Bihar State Power Generation Company Limited (35 per cent).

Goyal announced renaming of MTPS after George Fernandes amid thunderous applause. He said chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, who was sharing the dais, had allowed him to rename it. “The expansion and renovation work of two more units of 195MW each that was underway inside MTPS would be completed in a year. One unit of 195MW would be declared open for commercial use by May 2015 and the next by November 2015,” said Goyal.

The minister directed NTPC officials to facilitate round-the-clock power supply in a 5-km radius. Thereafter, all the NDA ministers — Ravi Shankar Prasad, Radha Mohan Singh, Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Upendra Kushwaha, Giriraj Singh, Dharmendra Pradhan and Ram Kripal Yadav — took turns to accuse the state government of lacking interest in speeding up development.

Rudy called upon the people to uproot the state government in the Assembly polls for failing on all fronts. This pinched Manjhi greatly who murmured something from his seat.

Winding up the programme, Manjhi virtually stole the show and won all hearts speaking in the Maghahi dialect. He said: “I am a simple man and have no malice in my heart. But here all saat bhaiya (seven minister brothers) of Narendra Modi are simply drumbeaters. I know the profile and status of junior ministers, as I enjoyed the post in the state,” as the gathering burst into laughter.

Manjhi reprimanded the ministers, telling them not to spread falsehood by speaking aloud. He said: “The national highways (NHs) in the state are in a shambles. NDA ministers belonging to Bihar are now charging the state government for all ills. I request you, all ministers, to survey the NHs in the state that have developed craters and get the right picture. Former chief minister Nitish Kumar pumped Rs 1,700 crore for repairing roads in the state from 2005 to 2009. The state progressed under the visionary approach of Nitish,” adding that the Centre was meting out step-motherly treatment to Bihar.

Manjhi enumerated the slashing of funds under central schemes and reducing the target of Indira Awaas Yojana homes from six lakh to three lakh.

Manjhi, with folded hands, requested the ministers to play a pivotal role in granting the special status and package to the state as promised by the Prime Minister. “I would become a diehard supporter of PM Narendra Modi if he provides the special status and package to Bihar.”

The chief minister said the state had paid Rs 334 crore to the Centre for buying 18,000 transformers for replacing old ones.