Don't politicise Delhi tour: BJP Ministers Team presents power status to RK Singh
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, July 19 2020:
Considering the increasing demands for uninterrupted power supply in the State, Power Minister Thongam Biswajit Singh called on Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Power Raj Kumar Singh to discuss matters to improve the power supply in the State.
Biswajit was accompanied by Agriculture Minister V Hankhanlian, Education Minister Dr Th Radheshyam and Social Welfare Minister Nemcha Kipgen when he visited the Union Minister at his official residence today morning.
Thongam Biswajit, who is currently at New Delhi speaking to this reporter said, "the State requires two lakh prepaid meters and the fund to buy one lakh has already been sanctioned but the fund to buy another one lakh is needed.
The Minister explained that the four of them decided to go to Delhi together to show that they are working together for the welfare of the State and added that it would be wrong to politicise their current Delhi tour.
"The Union Minister has given his assurance that the needed fund will be sanctioned soon enough.
"A project to provide Solar Street lighting and High Mast lighting for District Headquarters was also apprised to the Union Minister.
"A proposal of a project that would cost Rs 140 crore for system improvement had already been submitted to the Power Ministry.
The instructions from the Ministry were uploaded at the National portal.
However, the matter was further apprised to the Union Minister at the meeting in detail" .
The Union Minister assured that the funds needed for the proposed projects and works will be sanctioned at the earliest.
Biswajit further said the Union Minister was also briefed about the solar power projects being undertaken in the State in order to strictly follow the norms of Renewable Energy Purchase Obligation (RPO).
He informed the Union Minister that the works for 100 MW and 50 MW capacities solar power plants has been started.
28 hydropower projects with a capacity ranging from 5 MW to 45 MW is in the pipeline.
The State is also trying to produce its own power jointly with the Nungleiband Hydro Power Project NEEPCO.
The REC will be providing the fund for the State share as a soft loan.
Hearing the developments, the Union Minister lauded the initiative and gave his assurance that the Ministry will help in finding investors to set up other power projects in the State.
Biswajit said Manipur will no longer need to spend a single penny to buy power from others and there will be uninterrupted power supply if the said projects are taken up successfully.
"We do conduct video conferencing with the Union Ministers often but that is not enough.
In the interest of people, we are risking our lives by travelling during this time of pandemic in order to lobby for the projects already submitted to the Ministries for faster results by meeting the Union Ministers concerned in person," added Biswajit.
"By going in groups, we are showing that we are working together for the State.
It would be very wrong to politicise the Delhi tour," he claimed.