PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/ Dehradun
Reacting to the questions raised by the leader of opposition (LoP) Yashpal Arya on the 1,320 MW thermal power agreement with Adani Power Limited, the president of Uttarakhand BJP Mahendra Bhatt reminded him of the expensive gas power deal made in 2016 during the time of the Congress government. He claimed that due to the deal of the Congress government, the State has to purchase the power at an exorbitant rate of Rs 11.26 per unit.
Bhatt said that in contrast the BJP government has signed a thermal power agreement for the next 25 years at the rate of Rs 5.74 per unit only.
He said that during Congress rule, the power sector was plundered, while the Dhami government is planning to provide affordable electricity for 25 years, but moving in the direction to make Uttarakhand into an energy-rich State.
He added that during Congress rule, expensive power contracts were signed with a gas power plant in Kashipur at a rate of Rs 11.26 per unit, which remains a problem for the State to this day. High gas prices make it difficult to operate this power plant. “This government move has also secured Uttarakhand’s future power needs. This agreement is the cheapest of all thermal power contracts signed in the country to date,’’ he said.
Bhatt added that APL did not receive the coal block for free. The coal block allocated to Uttarakhand by the central government will be used for power generation.” If this power plant were installed in Uttarakhand, the cost of transporting coal from Chhattisgarh to Uttarakhand would have increased. The Dhami government made a smart decision and arranged for cheap electricity,’’ he said.
Bhatt said that Congress should remember the power cuts during its government. They used to experience power outages of more than 10 hours. Today, under the Dhami government, electricity is being supplied 24 hours a day. Farmers are getting cheap electricity.
