Arunachal seeks 84 billion for hydro projects

Thursday, 21 December 2006, 18:30 IST
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New Delhi: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Gegong Apang has urged the Planning Commission to allocate a special grant of 84 billion to execute major hydropower projects in the state. "This will facilitate equity participation by the Arunachal government in the joint venture projects with the independent power producers and central public sector undertakings," he said participating in a national workshop on hydropower here. On the basis of recommendations made in the workshop, organised by the Arunachal Pradesh government, a report was submitted to the commission suggesting an action plan for the promotion of hydropower in the country. "While the northeast has the largest hydropower potential, it has the least installed capacity. A clear roadmap needs to be drawn, particularly for public-private partnership in hydro projects," the report said. The state governments should get 12 percent free power and certain amount of equity participation from the developers of hydropower projects, it added. The state government should have the power to allocate projects up to 250 MW in consonance with the mega definition of hydropower project, the report said. India has a total hydroelectric potential of 150,000 MW, of which it has exploited only 17 percent.
Source: IANS