India exporting power to neighbouring countries: Minister

Union Power Minister R K Singh Wednesday said the Modi government has made tremendous progress on the electricity generation front and India has started exporting energy to neighbouring countries.

He said the country was presently producing one lakh MW of surplus power.

"The central government has made tremendous progress in production of energy in the last five years. Presently, extra one lakh MW power is being produced. It is more than our requirement, hence we are also exporting energy to our neighbouring countries," he said.

He was speaking on the sidelines of foundation stone laying ceremony of the regional instument testing laboratory of the Central Power Research Institute (CPRI) at Shilapur in the district.

He said the laboratory will boost employment opportunities in the region.

Maharashtra Energy Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, CPRI director V S nandkumar and others were present on the occasion.

Bawankule said under the Soubhagya scheme, 12.58 lakh families were given electricity, while 7.58 lakh farmers have been given power connections for the agri pump sets.