Govt to clear $2 bn transmission projects in the south

The government will soon clear transmission projects worth USD 2 billion in the Southern region and has sought greater private participation to meet its target of USD 50 billion investments in the segment over the next five years.
"The government has cleared transmission projects worth USD 2 billion in the North-east, and another USD 2 billion worth of transmission network in the south will be cleared soon," said an official.
The Ministry of Power has estimated investments to the tune of USD 50 billion in the power transmission sector for which it has sought participation of the private sector, he said.

The government is also encouraging more private sector participation in the transmission sector as there is remarkable opportunity and going forward it will certainly be a robust business proposition, he added.
"We are doing capacity building in Power Grid Corporation (central transmission utility)," the official said.
Power Minister Piyush Goyal has maintained that with the existing 2.50 lakh installed generation capacity the electricity output can be doubled by improving efficiency of the transmission networks.

Last month, the Cabinet cleared two schemes -- Deendayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana and Integrated Power Development Scheme.
DDUGJY aims to separate agriculture and non-agriculture feeders facilitating judicious rostering of supply rural areas. The estimated cost of the scheme is Rs 43,033 crore.

IPDS has been launched with the objective of strengthening of sub-transmission and distribution network in the urban areas. The estimated cost of the scheme is Rs 32,612 crore.