The budget session of Telangana legislature commenced on Friday with Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan, who addressed its joint session to mark the occasion, expressing the State government’s resolve to replace power holidays with the concept of ‘power everyday and any time’.
Stating that the aim of the government was to make the Telangana ‘power surplus’, Mr. Narasimhan highlighted how the government ensured uninterrupted power supply last month although the demand reached a peak of 9,000 MW. During the ensuing summer, although the demand was expected to reach 9,500 to 10,000 MW, the power utilities are gearing up to ensure uninterrupted supply without break. The government was striving to usher in a new era of progress and prosperity in the State with significant progress in the power sector.
The government embarked upon a long term action plan to augment power generation in the State. While the installed generation capacity at the time of State formation in June 2014 was 6,574 MW, the government created an additional generation capacity of 4,190 MW in the last two-and-a-half years.
Another 4,130 MW will be added by the end of the current year. The total availability of power will be 16,306 MW by the end of next three years. It will include 800 MW from Kothagudem thermal power station, 1,000 MW from Chhattisgarh, 1,080 MW from Bhadradri power plant, 4,000 MW from National Thermal Power Corporation, 800 MW from Singareni, 4,000 MW from Yadadri power station, 809 MW from Central generating stations, apart from 3,727 MW from solar and 90 MW from hydel projects. In addittion, Wardha - Dichpalli transmission line was completed which will help the State tap 2,000 MW from northern grid from anywhere in the country as and when required. The Governor said the State attracted investments worth ₹54,000 crore in 3,451 units with an employment generation potential 2.20 lakh persons. The government was committed to fill up one lakh jobs in government sector over five years as assured at the time of State formation.
In the last few pages of his Budget speech, the Congress staged a walkout resenting that there was no mention of promises of government about double bed room houses for poor, three acres of land for landless SC and ST families, 12 per cent reservation for Muslims and STs and a sub-plan for backward classes.
