Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Dec 15: Energy minister K S Eshwarappa said that the state government plans to implement a programme, by adopting a model scheme of the Gujarat state, under which rural places are provided uninterrupted power all the 24 hours of the day.

Speaking at a press conference here after holding discussions with the Mescom officials in the city on Sunday December 14, the minister said that the government will be spending around Rs 20 crore for every taluk for the purpose. The first of such plans has been executed in Malur at a cost of Rs 19 crore and the same will be extended to the entire state in about a year, he explained. The scheme titled 'Nirantara Jyoti' is aimed at ensuring that drinking water supply, street lights and small scale industrial units located in villages do not get affected by shortage of power, he explained.

Giving details of the steps taken by the government to tide over the power crisis, he said that a sum of Rs 400 crore had been spent to buy 250 mega watts (mw) of power. An additional 300 mw of electricity was purchased from sugar factories, by clearing their past dues, he added. Out of the seven thermal power plants located in Raichur, two have outlived their term and need replacement. The central government is supplying only 1,000 mw of power as against the state's quota of 1,532 mw. The state is facing a shortage of 1,700 mw of power, he said. He also revealed that the Udupi thermal power unit which was visited by him is likely to start producing around 500 mw of power from January 2009 onwards.