DIMAPUR, JULY 19 (MExN): State minister for power, Doshehe Y. Sema has appealed the Planning Commission to re-examine revival of the abandoned fuel-based Thermal Power Plant (TPP) in Dimapur awarded to Nagaland under PM’s economic package of 2003.
Speaking at State Power Ministers’ Conference held at Vigyan Bhavan New Delhi on Tuesday to deliberate on the 12th Five-Year Plan concerning energy development, Doshehe recalled that the TPP was to be established with a project cost of Rs 130 crore. However, after releasing about Rs 32 crore by DoNER and implemented by BHEL, the Planning Commission suggested government of India to abandon the TPP and go for development of Small Hydro Electric Projects (SHEP) as the TPP was stated to be uneconomic coming to about 6 crore per MW.
But Doshehe said as per ongoing works of small hydro electric projects in Tuensang and Mon district, the cost per MW is worked out to be higher than Rs 5.5 crore per MW almost equalling the abandoned thermal plant. Considering such aspects, he urged the Planning Commission to consider revival of the Dimapur TPP.
The power minister said that hydro electric projects such as 150 MW Tizu-Zunki, 140 MW Dikhu and 40 MW Yangnyu could not be developed due to lack of infrastructural development He said the main hindrance was that the ceiling of state budgetary allocation was not sufficient to develop vibrant projects and it is also not permitted to take loan outside the state budget. He pointed out that the private investors were shying away to develop such projects which are not economically viable mainly due to lack of infrastructural development.
Doshehe said even as GoI announces ambitious target of generating energy power, since the sites in NE are not economically viable lacking transmission lines and good road, such projects cannot be developed and target cannot be achieved. He pointed out that the cost of constructing transmission lines and road equals the amount required for development of power projects. Without realising such aspects, ambitious projects are announced on hypothetical assumption, and when the projects could not be taken up, the ministry of power and state ministers of power are being blamed, Doshehe asserted.
Stating that such problems were identical in the entire Northeast and Jammu & Kashmir and other hilly states of the country, the Nagaland minister impressed upon the GoI to formulate suitable policies to upgrade the economy and living standard of these low lying states to the level of mainland standard.
Talking about the 12th Five-Year Plan which is under drafting, Doshehe said the Plan should be a policy reformation plan particularly for the NE including Sikkim and J&K as there were many policies “attached with thorns” to these two regions thus hindering its development. He said that the thorn policy such as the population benchmark was not relevant to develop in NE and J&K because the region is thinly populated and also the projects are mostly uneconomic.
Doshehe, therefore, said that the development should be in two capsules; one based upon the economic viability and another on the strategic point of view since about 80% of northeast region/states was an international border. He underlined the strategic importance for development process to reach international borders regardless of population benchmark. He said the border people should be made to attract affinity and earn good relationship from the cross international border.
Similarly, Doshehe said a tunnel railway line or a tunnel road could be constructed linking NE to Bangladesh, Myanmar and other bordering nations to bridge the gap between India and neighbouring countries so as to enable and promote human relationships.
He said the 12th Five-Year Plan should be focused on creating sustainable assets in the region rather than being stuck with the begging bowl. He asserted that development was required in NE and J&K not because they are separate states but because they are an integral part of India and as long as the two regions remain with the begging bowl mighty India cannot become a strong country.
According to Doshehe, the Plan should be formulated with integrated plan of entire NE region as a whole and not confined within a state. He said that the power development plan also should not be confined within electric power but link up with other factors such as minerals available in the region. A single state endowed with the minerals may not be a viable proposition for installation of factories, he said. The power minister, however, added that if such plan was jointly taken up with adjacent states by creating industrial hub connected with transmission lines and good road then it could give vibrant sustainable assets that will generate employment opportunity and also upgrade the economy of the region.
Therefore, while formulating policies concerning NE and J&K, members from the two regions might be drawn as it required home grown policy decision on the ground reality which is relevant to bring about development in the region, Doshehe added.
He expressed appreciation to the Planning Commission for having convened the meeting to hammer out vibrant programme for development in the country.
Besides state power ministers of the country, the conference was attended by other allied ministries and agencies. Union power minister, Sushil Kumar Shinde inaugurated the conference.
