India now has capacity to export power and is ready to sell power to neighbouring Bangladesh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday, after dedicating to the nation the second unit of the 726 MW gas-based power plant at Palatana, 60 km south of Agartala, the capital of Tripura.
Mr Modi also expressed his gratitude to Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for allowing transhipment of heavy machineries to the plant, formation of which was completed with the commissioning of second unit. “We have now a situation to export power and ready to sell to Bangladesh”, he said in his speech attended by thousands of people gathered from different parts of the State.
Prime Minister responded to a request by Tawfique-e-Elahi Choudhury, senior energy advisor to Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, expressing interest to import power from India. “We are now importing 500 MW electricity from India and want to get 500 MW more,” he told the audience at the plant of ONGC Tripura Power Company (OTPC).
Earlier, the Prime Minister and his entourage reached Agartala by a special aircraft around 2 p.m. and they flew to Palatana by Air Force choppers. Tripura Governor P.B. Achariya and Chief Minister Manik Sarkar accompanied Mr Modi to the plant site.
Prime Minister commissioned the second unit by pushing a button in the plant control room. His next engagement was to address after sharing dais also with Bangladesh Minister of state of power, energy and mineral resources Nasrul Hamid and Indian Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan.
“I would be first Prime Minister to spend three days in northeast India. I first attended a programme on speed (referring to train service inauguration) and ending with energy – both important for development”, he said and added that the 'Look East Policy will immensely help the region to develop.
He said the ONGC which has major stake in 'the Rs.10,000 crore investment at Palatana – biggest so far in northeast India – has doubled its expenditure, eying new exploration activities in northeast. He opined that the agreement recently signed with the Japanese Government would culminate in an economic corridor to ultimately benefit people in common and youths in particular to avail employment.
“Northeast India would no more remain neglected as it is becoming Asia’s gateway and for achieving speedy growth, coordination between State Governments is also important,” Prime Minister asserted.
He also justified Chief Minister Manik Sarkar’s suggestion for creating a special petro-chemical zone in Tripura. Mr. Sarkar. in his speech. also sought the Prime Minister’s intervention for taking up with Bangladesh issues of transhipment and port of call facilities at Ashuganj river and Chittagong sea ports.
Citing the four colours (including the middle circle) of India’s national flag, Mr. Modi called for a 'tri-colour' revolution in organic farming, milk production, solar and renewable energy and blue revolution using water resources for overall progress of the region.
The programme at Palatana marked the end of the Prime Minister’s maiden three-day visit to the four northeastern States.
