ITANAGAR, July 3 � The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Coal, Power and Renewable Energy, Piyush Goyal has informed that the Ministry of Power has resolved the impasse related to the 2,000 MW Subansiri Lower Project and that the remaining works of the project will resume shortly.
Coal extraction in Namchik Namphuk coalfields is also set to resume soon with the Centre giving its consent to mining in the coalfield. The mining in Namchik Namphuk coalfields, which is presently suspended, will resume within one month. The assurance came when Arunachal Chief Minister Nabam Tuki met Union Minister in New Delhi on Tuesday.
During an hour-long meeting, Goyal agreed to Tuki�s request for re-opening of the coalfields in the interest of ensuring a steady revenue flow to the State. He instructed the senior officials of Coal Ministry to immediately depute teams for carrying out survey & investigation in other coal- rich areas of the State. He also mooted the idea of selling the excess coal produced in Namchik Namphuk coalfields to National Thermal Power Corporation to increase the revenue of the State.
While briefing the Union Minister about the various issues related to hydropower sector, Tuki sought help of the Union Ministry of Power regarding fast tracking of clearances, development of critical infrastructure like roads and bridges for hydropower, local area development near project sites, among others.
The Union Minister while assuring his support instructed his officials to fast track all proposals received from Arunachal Pradesh. A joint meeting of the Ministries of Power, Road Transport & Highways and Environment & Forests will be convened soon to discuss the pending issues relating to the State, it was told to the Chief Minister.
The Chief Minister emphasised the need for a regional grid for transmission to evacuate power to be generated by the State in the coming years and said that the strengthening of transmission systems should be considered by the Central Govt.
Secretary Power PK Sinha assured the Chief Minister that the project of Intra-State Transmission Grid of Rs 3,200 crore will be sanctioned shortly. Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL) will execute the project on a mission mode basis.
The CM was accompanied by Geology & Mining Minister Kamlung Mossang, Parliamentary Secretary for Hydropower Phurpa Tsering, Secretary Planning Sonam Chombay and Resident Commissioner Sanjay Saxena.
