Pradhan writes to Odisha CM over NTPC project delay

Union Minister Petroleum and Natural Gas, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday wrote to Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, seeking his intervention over the delay in the approval of the National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC) 1320-MW project worth Rs 9,785 crore in the state.

Pradhan also highlighted the state government's delay in giving its approval to investment projects being proposed for the state by oil PSUs, Nalco, and the NTPC.

In the letter to Patnaik, Pradhan asserted that even though the NTPC Board approved an investment of Rs 9,785 crore for setting up additional state-of-the-art power stations at Talcher, approval from the High-Level Clearance Committee and single window clearance is yet to be granted.

The Union Minister further said that the project had acquired land, water, environmental and other statutory clearances, but clearance by the High-Level Committee of the state government was necessary as it was a big project. He also said that the NTPC is still awaiting the approval of the HLC, despite applying online for single window clearance on April 19, 2017.

Asserting that the proposed power project by NTPC is expected to make power consumption cheaper for the people of Odisha due to the easy availability of coal and use of latest technology, Pradhan requested Patnaik's personal intervention for speedy approval of the project in order to further facilitate ease of doing business in Odisha.