Govt mulls regularising irrigation pumpsets | Eshwarappa | Nirantara Jyoti | Indian Express

Govt mulls regularising irrigation pumpsets | Eshwarappa | Nirantara Jyoti | Indian Express

Govt mulls regularising irrigation pumpsets


Express News Service First Published : 03 Jan 2010 04:05:00 AM ISTLast Updated : 03 Jan 2010 08:23:03 AM IST
BANGALORE: In the run up to the state-wide launch of Nirantara Jyoti — the uninterrupted power supply programme for the benefit of nonagricultural activities in the rural limits — Power Minister Eshwarappa on Saturday said that the government was thinking of regularising unauthorised irrigation pumpsets too.
There are an estimated 2.5 lakh to 3 lakh unauthorised IP sets against their authorised tally of 17 lakh, the minister said, expressing confidence that the contemplated measure will go a long way in curbing theft of power. Eshwarappa also reiterated that students would have no problem preparing for the exams this year. The government is attuned to their issue; a special meeting will be held with Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa in this regard, he said.
The Nirantara Jyoti programme will be launched at Hoskote on January 16; both Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa and Union Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde will be in attendance, Eshwarappa said.
Nirantara Jyoti will address the energy requirements of streetlighting, drinking water supply and small industries, he said.
A sum of Rs 2,120 crore is being spent on the programme; as many as 76 taluks will be covered in the first phase (Rs 1,200 crore) and another 56 will be covered in the second phase (Rs 960 crore) Eshwarappa said. All the 142 taluks will covered over the next nine months, he said.
The uninterrupted rural power supply programme will be mean an increase of 12 per cent on the prevalent demand for power in the state. Eshwarappa noted that 600 MW of power which is expected from the Udupi Thermal Power Plant by March this year and another 200 MW from the Raichur Thermal Power Plant later in the year will take care of the additional demand.