Mizoram move to buy power from Tripura

AGARTALA, March 6: Tripura Government expects to sell 26 million units of power to Mizoram, said Power Minister Badal Choudhury who also holds the Finance portfolio said in his Budget speech yesterday at the State Assembly. "The state government has been importing power during the year from Central sector projects. During 2001-2002, it is expected that 387 million units of power will be generated from our own generating stations. To meet the demand of the State, about 305 million units may have to be purchased from the Central sector projects, he pointed out. Two generation projects are under implementation in the State. An amount of Rs 15 crore has been allocated during 2000-2001 for a 21 MW gas turbine to be set up at Baramura. The work has been awarded to BHEL at a cost of Rs 95.36 crore. The target date for completion is October 2000. Another project for the installation of a 21 MW gas turbine is to be set up at a cost of Rs 85.17 crore. This project has also been awarded to BHEL and the target for completion is March 2002. A 500-MW gas turbine project near Sonamura in West Tripura district also to be taken up by the Northeastern Electric Power Corporation. The project is now awaiting clearance of the Government of India. A private group called Suryachakra has come forward with a proposal for power projects with generating capacity of 330 MW. Under the Kutir Jyoti programmes, service connection has been provided to more that 36,000 below poverty line families so far. The scheme will be continued next year and 300 families per block will be provided service connections. The target for revenue realisation during the current year is Rs 37.75 crore and the target for the next year is Rs 52.50 crore. The government proposes a Budgetary allocation of Rs 235.15 crore for the power department. The state government is against privatisation of the power sector. "Steps are being taken to reform the sector for which the first step is to set up a State Electricity Regulatory Commission (SERC)," said the State's Power Minister.