SoM

Bangalore, Nov 29: The State Cabinet yesterday decided to purchase 300 MW power from sugar factories to tide over the power shortage.

Talking to the media after the meeting, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Shobha Karandlaje said that the government has agreed to buy power from sugar factories at Rs 7.25 per unit.

In all, 19 of the 52 sugar mills in Karnataka have a combined capacity to produce 412 MW. However, most of these units were selling power to private companies due to low price realisation (Rs. 2.8 per unit) from the State government. The State was buying only 80 MW of power from these companies.

After two rounds of discussions with the sugar factories, the government agreed to purchase power at Rs. 7.25 per unit with immediate effect, she said.

Karandlaje blamed the Centre for drastic cut in the State's share of power from the Central Grid. While the State's share from the Central Grid is 1534 MW, the full quantum was available only on four days during November this year. She said the State's share has been steadily coming down from Nov. 12 to hit a low of 709 MW on Nov. 25.

She said the State government will write to the Election Commission of India to restrict the model code of conduct only to the constituencies which are going to the by-polls.

Imposing the code on the entire district would affect deve-lopmental programmes, she contended.