MP would be power surplus in next four years: Chouhan

He said swift green clearances would help the state to supply electricity to others

Enthused by swift green clearance to a "number of projects" in Madhya Pradesh, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan today asserted that the state would be power surplus in next four years and supply electricity to others.

Outlining future development plans of MP which was once among the least developed BIMARU states, Chouhan said a number of its projects, which were neglected during the UPA rule at the Centre, were back on track under the NDA government.

"I can say with confidence that the next power capital of India will be Madhya Pradesh. When we started, there was 2,900 mega watts (MW) power. Today we are generating 14,000 MW. We have planned to further increase it by at least 4,000 MW. By 2018, there will be power generation of 20,000 MW.

"Of these, 2,500 MW electricity generation will be solar and wind power based. We will be power surplus state and we will help those states who have less electricity," he told PTI in an interview here.

He said development work in the whole country including Madhya Pradesh had slowed down during UPA's tenure.

"We were given coal blocks and there were power plants. But stage I (screening) and stage II (appraisal) environmental clearance did not happen. There was a case of 'go' and 'no go' areas. There was a policy paralysis.

"UPA government was responsible for this. I feel this not as a Chief Minister but as a common man. There has to be a balance between development and environment. We can go back to stone age if you say no to all development work," Chouhan said.