BANGALORE: Blaming the Union government for constraints of coal linkages and delays in environmental clearances for power plants in the state, Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda, while presenting the budget on Wednesday said, “The matter has been taken up time and again with the Central government but nothing much has been received except advice to wait.”
Niranthara Jyothi, a scheme to ensure 24 hour power supply to rural households with a total outlay of 2,182 crore, is expected to be completed in 2012. Gowda also announced the establishment of 83 new sub-stations along with transmission lines and capacity augmentation of 117 existing sub stations at a total cost of Rs 610 crore.
Gowda also announced the setting up of a green energy fund by levying a surcharge of 5 paise per unit on industrial and commercial consumers. The state will contribute a share of Rs 25 crore to the fund in the coming year. He indicated that the resources available will be utilized to encourage rooftop grid connected solar projects.
In this years budget, electricity supply to 5,000 new drinking water supply installations and 50,000 irrigation pumpsets has been planned.