<p>The Centre proposes to improve the per capita consumption of power to above 1,000 units, Venugopal said, addressing a conference on opportunities in the power sector here.</p>.<p>As per estimates, India's per capita power consumption stood at around 733 units in 2008-09, much lower than the world average of 2,800 units.<br /><br />"The per capita consumption of the country has increased from 631 units in 2005-06 to 733 units in 2008-09...," according to a recent report by the power ministry report.<br /><br />Venugopal also said the north-eastern region has been blessed with rich hydro-power potential of more than 58,000 MW, equivalent to about 40 per cent of untapped hydro opportunity in the country.<br /><br />He noted that since more than 75 per cent of power is generated from coal and gas based stations, the development of hydro potential would be very important.<br /><br />"Meghalaya is blessed with coal reserves, Tripura and Assam form good abodes of natural gas reserves," Venugopal said, adding that the north-eastern region is rich in power potential, but the execution of hydro project has always been a difficult task.<br /><br />This is due to the geological surprises which is one of the major challenges faced by many of the hydro projects, especially in the Himalayan region.<br /><br />"There are also other general issues affecting hydro execution like forest clearances and land acquisition delays," Venegopal said.</p>
<p>The Centre proposes to improve the per capita consumption of power to above 1,000 units, Venugopal said, addressing a conference on opportunities in the power sector here.</p>.<p>As per estimates, India's per capita power consumption stood at around 733 units in 2008-09, much lower than the world average of 2,800 units.<br /><br />"The per capita consumption of the country has increased from 631 units in 2005-06 to 733 units in 2008-09...," according to a recent report by the power ministry report.<br /><br />Venugopal also said the north-eastern region has been blessed with rich hydro-power potential of more than 58,000 MW, equivalent to about 40 per cent of untapped hydro opportunity in the country.<br /><br />He noted that since more than 75 per cent of power is generated from coal and gas based stations, the development of hydro potential would be very important.<br /><br />"Meghalaya is blessed with coal reserves, Tripura and Assam form good abodes of natural gas reserves," Venugopal said, adding that the north-eastern region is rich in power potential, but the execution of hydro project has always been a difficult task.<br /><br />This is due to the geological surprises which is one of the major challenges faced by many of the hydro projects, especially in the Himalayan region.<br /><br />"There are also other general issues affecting hydro execution like forest clearances and land acquisition delays," Venegopal said.</p>