'Dabhol phase-I to restart in 2 months'

The phase-I of Dabhol Power Company, taken over and now renamed as Ratnagiri Power & Gas Co, will start power generation by March-end and its phase-II will be commissioned by the end of this year, according to Maharashtra Finance Minister Jayant Patil.

"These, along with two additional power units, Khaparkheda and Parli, will together add to the state's grid about 3000 mw," said Patil, on the sidelines of Western India Trade Conference organised by Indian Merchants' Chamber on Saturday.

Patil said as a result of these and other remedial steps, the state would be able to considerably reduce its peak hour power deficit of about 40 mw at present and can reduce load shedding from 12 hours in rural areas to four or five hours.

He reassured the trading community that the state government was fully aware of their problems and was contemplating several steps to resolve them.

He said Maharashtra removed sales tax concession to industries in backward areas consequent to suggestion by the central government.

The special assistance announced by former Prime Minister A B Vajpayee offering complete exemption of tax to the Kutch district and Himachal Pradesh had resulted in a huge exodus of industries from Maharashtra to those remote places, if only for availing the benefits, he said.