Patna, July 29: Indian Power Producers’ Association of India (IPPAI), a body of private players in the sector, has presented a long wishlist, including setting up of single-window clearance system, before the state government.

IPPAI was set up in 1994 with the idea to provide a neutral forum to discuss various issues critical to the development of the private power sector in India.

IPPAI’s director-general Harry Dhaul, while making a presentation during a seminar on powering Bihar in the state capital, suggested the state government considering setting up “single window” to enable all kinds of clearances for the private entrepreneurs under one roof.

“If Bihar has to emerge as the new Mecca for investors and project developers, Bihar must provide single-window-clearance mechanism to attract private investment,” Dhaul said.

To implement the model effectively, the state government should set up a high-power committee under the chairmanship of the chief minister, Dhaul said, adding that entrepreneurs would get all kinds of clearances under the mechanism.

Clearance for land acquisition, water and fuel linkage are mandatory before setting up a power plant .

The state’s energy department does not seem quite enthusiastic about the association’s suggestion, though. It believes it is impossible to have such a mechanism.

“We can’t have single-window-clearance for power sector alone as it is not feasible. There are some areas like land acquisition that falls under state government’s domain. Coal linkage, environment and water clearances are given by the Centre,” energy department principal secretary Ajay Nayak said.

Bihar Industries Association (BIA), however, has welcomed IPPAI’s suggestion for a committee headed by the chief minister to give clearances, open-access system and other incentives to set up power plants.

“Certainly, it is a good idea to have such a committee that, too, under the chief minister. If any file comes from the chief minister’s secretariat, no other department would try to put a spanner in the work as the secretariat would be monitoring its progress,” BIA general secretary Sanjay Goenka told The Telegraph.

Even Nitish Kumar has made it clear that open-access system can’t be put on hold for a long time. “Open-access regime is inevitable. Consumers must have options,” Nitish said.

The open-access system would provide the private entrepreneurs, who could draw 8MW or more power, the access to use the transmission lines of the board and these private entrepreneurs could enter into public-private-partnership for short-term either through bilateral agreement or through power exchange.

This system would be beneficial to the board also as it would get revenue from the customers for using its transmission line and other charges known as open-access charges.