By IANS,
New Delhi : The government Friday said it is open to incorporating suggestions into the bidding documents being finalised for new power projects.
“The standard bidding documents (SBDs) are being finalised. Whatever suggestions and comments come, we will deliberate and reflect on that… We are open to change for the better,” Power Minister M. Veerappa Moily told mediapersons on the sidelines of a conclave organised jointly by the Central Electricity Authority and the Central Power Research Institute.
As per the provisional SBDs, there would be no change in bidding norms for power projects based on imported coal.
In respect of projects supplied by domestic coal, the draft documents have proposed a separate set of bidding for coal linkage and captive coal projects.
Power Secretary P. Uma Shankar said the government is for an efficient distribution sector and focusing on improving the financial health of utilities to provide reliable and quality power.
On funding for power projects, Moily said the de-allocated coal blocks were not in the list of projects for the 12th Plan (2012-17).
“No capacity is stranded due to the de-allocated coal mines, so the finance ministry should not shy from approval of fund for these projects,” Moily said.