Informing this to Deccan Herald, Karnataka Energy Secretary K Jairaj said the land acquisition for the project would be completed by December end. Union Power Minister Sushil Shinde has been approached to be present at the ground-breaking ceremony, he said after meeting the minister.
NTPC Chairman R S Sharma, along with other officials, will visit the location and hold meetings with Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa and Energy Minister K S Eshwarappa towards November end. The power major has asked the State Government to transfer 3,000 acres of land to it immediately.
Jairaj said the project, for which a Memorandum of Understanding was signed in January 2009, would not have rehabilitation issues as the land is not cultivable and locals have welcomed it. The first phase of the project, which will need 5.2 tmcft of water from the Almatti dam every year, would be completed in 42 months, according to NTPC. However, the state government has urged the public sector company to complete it by June, 2012. Civil work will start by January 2010.
“This is the first Central power project that Karnataka will be getting after Kaiga atomic plant and first in about 30 years,” Jairaj said. He said the project would generate about 4,000 direct jobs spurring the growth in the backward north Karnataka and create nearly one lakh indirect jobs.
Although the plant has capacity of 4000 mw, Karnataka will get only 33 per cent of it since it is a Central project.
Jairaj disclosed that the NTPC was keen to implement a Rs 600 crore, 100 mw wind-based project at Kapatgudda in Gadag district. The NTPC will prepare an “activity roadmap” for the project which will be formalised during Sharma’s visit to Bangalore.
According to the energy secretary, the NTPC has also expressed interest in putting up a Rs 2000 crore, 100 mw solar project in Karnataka for which the state government has indicated two locations –– KGF and Mannur in Bijapur district.
Jairaj said he met Union Minister of State for Coal Sriprakash Jaiswal and sought coal linkage for 3 projects –– Kudigi, 1300 mw Gulbarga project and 1320 mw Ghataprabha project.
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