Telangana checks shortage of power

Hyderabad: The TRS government is devising plans to overcome power shortage in Telangana state within three years. Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, who held a meeting with power officials on Thursday, to take stock of power situation in the state, directed them to focus on importing coal not only from other states but also from other countries to improve thermal power generation.

He asked them to appoint special officers to oversee the purchase of power from Chattisgarh. “Our target should be to make Telangana, a power-surplus state within three years. Our aim should be to achieve an additional 8,000 MW in three years. For this, we have to explore various options like buying coal from other countries,”  said the CM. He also asked the officials to step up efforts to set a thermal power station at Gadwal in Mahbubnagar district.

“I am assuring you that there will be no political intervention in government-related activities. You will be given a free hand to take your own decisions. But you all should ensure that all your actions are corruption-free and should be in the interests of Telangana people,” Mr Rao said to the officials. Officials informed the CM that the state is now facing a deficit of 2,100 MW, which will further increase if agriculture sector is to be provided with round-the-clock power supply. They told that coal is being procured from Singareni and  other places.