Give me power, Jaya tells PM

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CM Jayalalithaa urged PM Manmohan Singh Friday to allot 1,000 MW of additional power to overcome the acute shortage TN is facing.

In a letter, she accused the Centre of “callousness and indifference” to the repeated requests by the state for additional power. The Centre had allotted only 100 MW, CM said.

“The amazing alacrity shown in superimposing fetters on the rights of states may also be bestowed on concern for essential needs of states and attention to fulfilling them,” she said.

Jayalalithaa said non-availability of a transmission corridor had deprived TN of “contracted power”.

“TN has contracted 500 MW from Gujarat. Of this, only 203 MW could be transmitted. The 727 MW of night power contracted from Dadri Power Station [UP] was also curtailed. TN has contracted to an extent of 1,750 MW from outside for March 2012. However, corridor availability has been released to the extent of 350 MW. This has caused indescribable anguish,” she said.

Jayalalithaa pointed out that major power projects to be executed by central public sector units such as BHEL, NLC and NTPC had been “inordinately delayed”. “I request you to kindly intervene and ensure the required quantum of 1,000 MW of power transmission,” she said.