The Imphal Free Press
Imphal, July 11: With an objective to have substential increase of power supply in the state, a recent cabinet meeting approved to adopt a composite scheme of development of intrastate transmission and distribution network in the north eastern states as proposed by the Ministry of Power, Government of India.
According to a highly placed source, the Ministry of Power, Government of India, envisages development of transmission and distribution network ranging from 400kv to 33kv systems in NE region including Sikkim and Manipur.
The scheme once implemented will improve the existing system and enhance its liability in the region tremendously. The total costs of the scheme based on third quarter, 2009-PL is Rs 9890.16 crore in total and the state of Manipur will get a possible sanction of Rs 727.67 crores for implementing the said project, the source added.
In fact, all the states in the NE region including Manipur have agreed in principle to participate in the proposed venture earlier, besides the other NE states like Assam, Tripura have already moved ahead for implementation of the scheme.
It may be mentioned that the state government in its cabinet meeting held on June 30 have already agreed the proposal for the implementation of the scheme in the state after availing loan from the World Bank due to the existing financial constraint of the state.
Moreover, installation of 132kv substation under Power Grid Corporation of India Limited, (PGCIL) at Imphal is upgradable to 400kv has been already planned to be connected to Silchar through 400kv D/c line (initially charged at 132kv) as a part of Palltana and Bongaigoan transmission system.
The official source further mentioned that the proposed line would be able to handle about 250 MW of power initially in addition to the present capacity which will be sufficient enough to meet the power demand of the state for the next decade or so. Thus Manipur would be strongly connected with the neighboring states. However, the existing transmission and distribution network in the state which are already weak and more than 20 years old which will be not be able to handle the ever increasing power demands of the state.
It was also further observed officially that the proposed scheme shall ensure a reliable and very strong transmission and distribution network in the state in sufficient to handle the demand for the next 20 years.
It also mentioned that the approved scheme for the state has a components with an estimated cost of Rs 727.67 crores, comprises of stringing of 495km of new 132kv line, installations of four numbers of 132/33kv new substation at Thoubal, Tipaimukh, Tamenglong, Gamphajol including augmentation of existing substation with capacity addition of 185MVA, stringing of 2291km of new 33kv line, installations of 45 numbers of 33/11kv substations including augmentation of existing substations with capacity addition of 244MVA.
The matter has been tabled before the state cabinet meet recently in which it has been elaborated that the component of the loan being state's share to be posed to the World Bank for the scheme which is having a total amount of Rs 618.52 crore which is 85 percent of the project costs which will be the equity of the project which constitute 15 percent of total tentative project costs for Manipur (Rs 727.62 crore).
Out of the proposed World Bank loan of Rs 618.52 crore, according to prevailing policy of the government of India to support the special category like Manipur, a total of Rs 556.67 crore which is 90 percent of the loan amount will be converted as grant and the remaining 10 percent amounting Rs 61.85 crore will remain as loan component of the state.
Considering the feasibility and economical avenues, the scheme has been unanimously approved by the recent cabinet meet of the state government chaired by the chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh.
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