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A delegation of Tamil Nadu Congress MPs, led by TNCC president and Rajya Sabha member B S Gnanadesikan, on Tuesday met Union Power Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia in New Delhi and pressed expediting of key power projects in the State to help tide over its current power crisis.
Gnanadesikan said the delegation explained to the minister the acute power shortage that had led to several hours of power cut across the State. He said the minister’s attention was sought to the Cheyyur power project in Kanchipuram where work was apparently moving at snail’s pace. “We also requested for a similar measure in Cuddalore so that the State could achieve 8000 MW of power production soon,” he said. The minister said he would check the status of the project within two days.
The delegation requested the government to expedite the “one grid one India” project. “ The minister replied that the connection would be completed by January 2014,” Gnanadesikan said.
This apart, the TN MPs wanted the power ministry to complete the second and third units of the Vallur power project swiftly.
It was pointed out that the contract with a private party for the KG Basin gas pipeline project to Tuticorin via Chennai should be handed over to a government entity. Lastly, Gnanadesikan said the demand of 1000MW from the first tranche of power from Koodankulam nuclear plant was reiterated.
The delegation consisted of seven Congress MPs from the State. Sources said those from TN who are in the Union Ministry skipped the meeting as it was felt that ministers should not root for a particular State, an issue that attracted criticism when the then External Affairs Minister S M Krishna issued comments in support of Karnataka in the Cauvery issue recently.