Odisha seeks 25-30 per cent free power to coal bearing states

Odisha government today asked the Centre to consider providing 25 to 30 per cent of free power from thermal electicity generating stations to the coal bearing host states.
The state's demand was placed before Union Power secretary Ajay Bhalla who met Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at the secretariat here and discussed several issues relating to the power sector and electification in Odisha.
During the discussion, Patnaik raised certain issues including power allocation, rural electrification and ultra mega power projects in the state, an official statement said.
The chief minister pointed out that coal bearing states like Odisha are facing negative fallouts of coal mining and thermal power stations. "Therefore, the Centre should consider 25 to 30 per cent free power from coal fired thermal generating stations to the host states," Patnaik told to Bhalla.

The chief minister also asked for de-allocation of costly NTPC power from stations located outside Odisha. He said that allocations from NTPC plants within the state and other thermal plants are adequate and there is no requirement of additional power from NTPC stations located outside Odisha.
He also stressed on the need for inclusion of SECC (socio-economic caste census) households in partially electrified villages under Dindayal Dayal Upadhya Gamin Jyoti Yojana scheme to achieve 100 per cent household electrification.
Patnaik emphasised speed up the finalisation of standard bidding document for the ultra mega power project at Bedabahal in Sundergarh district. The standard building document is pending for approval for more than three years.