Centre approves 4,000 Mw UMPP for Chhattisgarh

The Union government has finally approved the 4,000 Mw Ultra Mega Power Project (UMPP) for Chhattisgarh that had drilled into deep controversy propelling the Centre to reject the proposal earlier.

The Centre had earlier selected Chhattisgarh as one of the fives states for setting up UMPP. The state government selected a site in Sarguja district. But the demand of the state government to get 50 per cent of power at invariable cost from the project hit the blockade.

In August last year, the ministry of power reportedly rejected the site in Sarguja district proposed by the Chhattisgarh government for the project. A huge forest land coming under the project site was cited as one of the reasons for rejecting the proposal of the state government.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Dr Raman Singh met the Union Power Minister, Sushilkumar Shinde in New Delhi and discussed about the project. “After initial discussion, Shinde immediately gave his consent to go ahead with the project and asked the officials to start the work,” a senior state government official said.

The Rs 20,000 crore UMPP is likely to come up near Lara village of Raigarh district, the official said. The project would be executed by the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC). The senior officials of the company would be visiting Chhattisgarh soon to complete the other formalities, the official added.

The Chhattisgarh government assured the Centre that it would extend all cooperation in setting up the 4,000 Mw power plant in the state.