core sector communique

Government Takes Major Initiatives to Improve Power Situation in the Country

The Minister of State for Power, Shri K.C. Venugopal, informed Lok Sabha in a written reply that major initiatives undertaken to improve power situation in the country include delicensing of thermal generation, introduction of Ultra-Mega Power Projects (UMPP), investor friendly New Hydro Policy 2008, initiatives for augmentation of domestic manufacturing capacity of power plant equipment, adoption of supercritical technologies, liberalization of mega power policy, enhancing availability of skilled and trained manpower etc. Government of India also supplements the efforts of the State Governments by establishing power plants in the Central Sector through Central Public Sector Undertakings. He also informed that supply of power within different areas of States is not centrally monitored. Electricity is a concurrent subject. Responsibility for supply of electricity to different categories of consumers and different areas within a State, including tribal and backward areas, lies with the appropriate State Government/Power Utilities. Further, the shortage of electricity in tribal and backward areas is generally attributable to inadequacy of sub-transmission and distribution network and/or their healthiness. The minister said there is an overall shortage of power in the country, primarily due to growth in demand far outstripping the growth in availability of power.