By IANS,
Raipur : Decks have been cleared for the 4,000-MW ultra mega power project (UMPP) in Chhattisgarh as the central government has finally approved the project, ending months-long controversy.
The government, which had earlier selected Chhattisgarh as one of the five states for setting up UMPPs, reportedly rejected the project last August as the state government stuck to its demand for 50 percent of power at “invariable cost” from the project.
“The approval was given on Monday when Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh called on union Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde in New Delhi,” a top official in the state energy department told IANS here Tuesday.
Now the Rs.20,000-crore UMPP will come up near Lara village of the coal abundant Raigarh district, the official added.
He, however, did not mention how much power the state would get from the project at the production cost.
The project would be executed by the country’s largest power producer NTPC Ltd.
Senior NTPC officials would soon visit Chhattisgarh to complete the formalities to begin work on the project.