Centre to release Rs 800cr to Punjab for improving power infra

The Centre has agreed to release Rs 800 crore to Punjab under the Deendayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY) for modernising and upgrading power infrastructure in rural areas.
A decision to this effect was taken by Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal at a meeting with Punjab's deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, who urged him to resolve pending power issues.
Goyal also assured Badal of examining the sale of surplus power in coming months.
The Minister said the proposal under DDUGJY submitted by Punjab was considered and Rs 800 crore would be released under this soon, a Punjab government release said.

He said the project would witness complete separation of agriculture and non-agriculture feeders facilitating judicious power supply to agriculture and non-agri consumers in rural areas with improvement in hours of power supply.
On Badal's request for sale of surplus power from Punjab, the Minister said the Centre would examine this proposal very soon and asked the state unility Powercom to submit a detailed proposal in this regard.

The Minister also gave his nod to provide full capacity coal linkage and supply to Punjab thermal plants as per the agreement in future and assured that there would be no shortage.
Goyal also assured Badal that clearance to Pachwara coal mine allotted to Punjab in Jharkhand would also be given in the coming days. He has issued directions to the authorities concerned to make this site operational soon.

The Deputy Chief Minister also highlighted the issue of coal quality besides initiating the sampling and coal analysis at loading end.
Goyal after hearing this issue assured Badal to introduce third party sampling and analysis before loading of coal to maintain the quality of coal.
Goyal has also agreed to enhance supply of 1 million tonne coal of Central Coalfields Ltd to 1.50 million tonnes.