In view of present situation due to coronavirus pandemic as well as onset of monsoon in the State– Deputy Chief Minister Jishnu Dev Varma, who also holds power department portfolio, placed sixpoint demand list to the Union Power Minister R K Singh. He placed the charter of demand to R K Singh in a video conference today.
During the video conference, Dev Varma demanded that Centre grants soft loans with reduced interest to distribution companies (DISCOM) as against the current high bank interest rates. He also sought extension of completion schedule for all infrastructural works under ‘Saubhagya Yojana’ till December this year.
In addition, the deputy chief minister has also urged the Union Minister for extension of completion schedule of IPDS till December in the current year. He has also pointed out that Tripura’s geo-climatic condition and rain-prone weather may not be feasible for megawatt level solar projects for renewable energy and has asked the union government for relaxation in the in RPO compliance.
Dev Varma has also urged the Power Minister R.K.Singh to provide assistance and support for expediting implementation of world bank funded and centrally funded north eastern regional power system improvement project (NERPSIP) in reference to his letter sent to the union power ministry on January 13 this year.
Apart from this, a plea has been made for renewal of bulk power sale contract between Tripura and Bangladesh for a period of another five years from March next year. Before putting up his charter of demands the deputy chief minister Jishnu Dev Varm gave a detailed explanatory and background note on the power production potential, generation profile and the problems faced by the state in the matter of power generation and utilization.
