On dedicating a 370 MW gas based power station to nation on thursday at Utran-Surat Chief Minister Shri Narendrabhai Modi said that Gujarat is the only State in entire country that has managed to come out of electricity shortage. 18000 villages in Gujarat are receiving 24 hours of electric supply and nowhere there is electrical load shedding in the State.
Gujarat State Electricity Corporation has completed the construction of this power station in just 21 months at the cost of Rs 1414 cr.
Chief Minister said that Gujarat is the highest producer of gas based electricity. Gas based electricity generation has a share of about 32% in total electricity generation. Gujarat Electricity Board was continually making annual loss of around 2000 cr before the year 2000. Today electricity companies in Gujarat has come out of losses and become efficient, he said.
Shri Modi said that building of this power plant has added a Golden chapter in the Golden growth story of Gujarat. Power station at Utran has been constructed in accordance with highest environmental standards and stands second to Hong Kong in being an eco-friendly one.
He said that lack of support from railway ministry is the reason for State’s inability to provide household gas to the people of Utran as he promised once. Expressing his stern resolve Chief Minister said that he may even lay underground gas pipelines to keep his promise.
Energy and Petroleum Minister of State Shri Saurabhbhai Patel said that remotest village in Gujarat is getting 24 hour electric supply due to the strategic planning of Chief Minister Shri Narendrabhai Modi. Experts from different States are coming to study Gujarat’s development in this direction.
Shri Patel said that the State Government has decided to give electricity at the rate of Rs 50 to the families of remote villages. 150 to 200 sub stations are being established every year to give electricity connections in villages. Jetco will lay 4500 km of transmission lines in coming one year which will increase the electricity lines by 10%. With the aim to bring an uninterrupted electric supply to every home, Gujarat is doing best in all three areas of electricity generation, transmission and distribution, he added.
On the occasion, donation of Rs 36 lakh were given to the Chief Minister’s Kanya Kelavani Nidhi. Tribal welfare Minister Shri Mangubhai Patel, Panchayat Minister Shri Narottambhai Patel, MPs Shri C.R.Patil, Smt Darshana Jardaush, MP of Rajyasabha Shri Pravin Nayak, MLAs Shri Ranjit Gilitwala, Shri Nanubhai Vanani, Corporaters, Government officials and people in large number were present on the occasion.
