Ranchi, July 21: The progress in the Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana in the state has been miserable and the implementing agencies

Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal has directed the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) to expedite work on the 800 MW Kol Dam project and ensure that it was commissioned by the target date. He also urged to adopt Jawahar Lal Nehru Government Engineering College, Sundernagar, so that it could come up as a centre of excellence.

Retired IIT Kanpur professor G D Agarwal is currently on a hunger strike against the proposed construction of more dams on the Bhagirathi-Ganga. Sunday Times reports on his struggle

Uttar Pradesh government has given its nod to the proposal of NTPC to set up a 4,000 mw power plant in Lalitpur district of the state. The state government would hold 30% equity in the plant and 75% of power generated would be used in Uttar Pradesh, Cabinet secretary Shashank Shekhar Singh told reporters. An MoU would be signed for the project soon, he said. The state Cabinet also decided to provide high-yield hybrid seeds to farmers at subsidised rates.

Environmentalists and social activists led by G D Aggarwal are headed for Delhi to continue with their campaign against construction of power projects between Gangotri and Uttarkashi. After the Uttarakhand Government decided to halt work on the Pala Maneri and Bhiron Ghati projects, the campaigners are now targeting the 600-mw Lohari Nagpala project being executed by the National Thermal Power Corporation. Aggarwal's fast unto death entered its 10th day on Sunday when he left the Manikarnika ghats of Uttarkashi to shift base to Delhi.

The decision of Prof G.D. Agarwal, who has been on a 'fast unto death' for the past week against power projects on the Ganga, to direct his agitation against the Central government following the shelving of two power projects by the BJP state government has politicised the issue. While Agarwal refused to end his fast and decided to target the Union government, the Uttarakhand Congress leaders alleged that the 'Sangh Parivar' has hijacked his agitation for their petty political interests. Interestingly, the state government has promised to support him in his fight against the Centre.

NTPC, which generates nearly 30,000 Mw, is aiming at a capacity of 50,000 Mw by 2012. In its biggest-ever credit line, the Power Finance Corporation (PFC) will lend Rs 10,000 crore to the country's largest power producer, NTPC, for various projects to be completed in the current 11th Five-Year Plan. According to officials, the MoU between the two PSUs is likely to be signed in the next one week and the money will be disbursed in instalments.

The state-run NTPC, which has launched the capacity addition programme of 25,000 mw, for the 11th Plan, has already started preparations to add nearly 7,000 mw in the hydro sector by the end of the 12th Plan (2016-17). NTPC's investment in the eight upcoming hydro projects would be around Rs 35,000 crore.

Paving the way for Reliance Power, NTPC and three other companies to rebid for projects, the Uttar Pradesh power regulator has allowed the Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation (UPPCL) to seek fresh financial bids for proposed power plants at Bara and Karchhana in Allahabad district. Jindal Steel and Power, JSW Energy and CESC are the other firms that can also submit their revised bids for the two thermal power projects. "All the eligible bidders have been asked to submit their revised financial bids by June 13," sources added.

The first unit of the 500 MW Sipat stage II power project run by the National Thermal power Corporation (NTPC) in Bilaspur district of Chattisgarh went on full load in the presence of Minister of State for Power Jairam Ramesh. The second 500 MW unit is expected to go fully commercial by October. Both the units use boilers and turbines manufactured by Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL). The two 500 MW units form Stage-II of the project, while three super critical 660 MW units form Stage-I.