Affordable power for south states in 2 years: Goyal

The Centre has formulated a Rs 27,000 crore project for generating 6,000 mw power in another two years to provide 24x7 affordable electricity to southern states, Power Minister Piyush Goyal said here on Saturday. He attributed insufficient transmission facility as a reason for not being able to bring adequate electricity to South India, particularly to Tamil Nadu.

Blaming the previous UPA government for not taking enough steps to create adequate power grid and transmission facilities, he said under the new scheme South India will benefit through getting uninterrupted, adequate and affordable power. Goyal was talking to reporters at the airport here.

To tide over the power crisis in southern state, the government proposes to provide 11 gas-based plants under which the Centre will provide gas at low cost, he said. To a question on alliance for the 2016 assembly polls in Tamil Nadu, he said “time will tell. All options are open”.

The Minister was here to dedicate the Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Yojana, Atal Pension Yojana and Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bhima Yojana, the three three social security schemes under Jansuraksha programme unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Kolkata on Saturday.