DIMAPUR, JAN 18 (MExN): Delivering his speech at the sector specific NEC meeting at Pasighat in Arunachal Pradesh today, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio today asked the Centre to evolve a fair policy, “which is explicit and safeguards the interest of the states and the region.” Rio said all states in the region are not equally endowed with the potential for power generation. “For a small state like Nagaland, we are not as fortunate when it comes to power generation. Whatever little potential we have needs to be exploited judiciously so that maximum benefits accrue to the state and its people.”
He informed that by the end of 11th Plan period, demand for power in the state is likely to rise to about 200 MW, taking into consideration the Government’s initiatives such as achieving 100 % household electrification by 2009, expected increase in per capita consumption of power from the current level of 150 units to that of national minimum baseline consumption of 350 units, along with a minimum industrial load growth which is now almost non-existent.
“Within this period, the state’s share from central power sector allocation is likely to increase from the present level of 81 MW t 174 MW. The state’s installed generation capacity is stagnant at 28 MW, due to very low Plant Load Factor. Moreover, works on the 23 MW Thermal Power Station at Dimapur has been stalled because of funding problems. To meet this shortfall, the state has to immediately take up already identified medium and small hydro projects.” During the last six years, Nagaland alone has paid an additional Rs. 37 crores, which is equivalent to one year’s power revenue collection of the state, to PGCIL on account of the tariff difference alone. “It is high time that this discriminatory transmission tariff be immediately rectified with retrospective effect by the Government of India.”
