By IANS
Bhopal : Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has blamed the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government at the centre for the present power crisis in the state.
Chouhan has said he would take up with the centre once again the delayed supply of power generating equipment for the 500 MW thermal unit at Birsinghpur.
Reviewing the power situation in the state at a high-level meeting here Tuesday, Chouhan alleged the centre had deliberately delayed the supply of generating equipment, which if commissioned in time could have accrued more power for the state, sources said.
“Madhya Pradesh, reeling under severe power shortage, has resorted to the power cuts as the delay in commissioning of projects by the BHEL has put the supply in a very precarious position. Had the BHEL supplied the generating set on time, generation of full 500 MW would have begun at Birsinghpur,” the chief minister said.
The Birsinghpur thermal power unit was to be completed by September 2006 and the Amarkantak thermal power unit was scheduled for February 2007 completion.
Chouhan had in October last year also urged the central government to expedite the construction of power units in the state.
Chauhan, in his letter to the Union Minister for Heavy Industries Santosh Mohan Dev, had urged him to direct the BHEL to complete the 500 MW Birsinghpur thermal power unit and the 210 MW Amarkantak thermal power unit, now running much behind schedule.
Meanwhile, the chief minister has also directed the officers to purchase power at any cost for supplying it to farmers for Rabi crop.
“So far, Rs.3.46 billion had been provided to State Electricity Board, while additional Rs 1.50 billion would also be provided,” official sources said.