Centre to invest Rs 10,000 crore in North East power sector

Guwahati: The Centre will invest Rs 10,000 crore in the power sector of the eight North Eastern states, including Sikkim, Union Power, said Coal and NRE Minister Piyush Goyal here on April 9. "The Centre has undertaken major initiatives in the North East for speedy implementation of power projects and I urge all the eight NE state governments to extend their support in this endeavour," said Goyal at the inaugural session of the Conference of Power, Renewable Energy and Minesheld.

The Centre has already approved a scheme for strengthening the transmission and distribution system in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim with an outlay of Rs 4,754 crore. The government has also approved another North Eastern Region Power System Improvement Project for the other six states in the region with an outlay of Rs 5,111 crore, including budgetary support of Rs 2,600 crore, the minister said.

There was also plan to restart the Teesta Hydro Electric Project in Sikkim with an investment of Rs 13,000 crore and this would be huge source of power for the entire North East, said Goyal.