The Madhya Pradesh government has dumped its demand of 2,200 acres of land from Navratna company Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) which it had allotted to the company years ago. The company also assured the state government that for its further expansion projects it would accord high priority to Bhopal so that new projects could take shape on the surplus land.
However, the Union heavy industries minister has turned down the demand for a proposed NTPC-Bhel joint venture to take shape in Bhopal. While launching the fist ultra high-capacity transformer facility in the mother plant of BHEL in Bhopal, Union Heavy Industries Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh said, “BHEL will put Bhopal on priority for its future expansion projects in view of the surplus land available in the premises.”
The MP chief minister also assured him and said, “From now onwards we will not demand the surplus land and will make more land available on demand but we expect the NPTC-Bhel joint venture to come to Bhopal.” The Union minister, however, turned down his demand. “It is too late. The project has already gone to Andhra Pradesh,” he said.
