Shinde promises gas-based power plant

“Gas pipelines from Goa will pass on Bangalore’s periphery. You prepare a project for a gas plant and we will support it,” the minister said speaking at the launch of ‘Nirantara Jyothi’ project at Ekarajapura near Hoskote on Saturday.

Refuting the charges of discriminating against Karnataka in allocation of power, Shinde said, “Our own party (Congress) is in power in Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra and they too are facing power scarcity. We some times favoured Punjab and Haryana since power was necessary for rice production units to ensure food security in the country. The Union is always ready to supply power to Karnataka.”

Appreciating the power sector reforms initiated by the State government, Shinde said that very few states in the country have taken up ‘Nirantara Jyothi’, a project which segregates the IP and non-IP consumers.

State Energy Minister Eshwarappa appealed the Union Minister to clear all the power projects of the State pending before the Union government. Union Minister for Law and Justice Veerpappa Moily suggested the State to act on Shinde’s suggestion for a gas-based power plant. “You can even set up a plant near Chikkaballapur in my constituency,” he said. Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa inaugurated the project and the 220 KV station.