Business Line
8,157 MW hydel capacity may be added in 11th Plan

Task Force favours eco clearance for projects at State level.

Our Bureau

New Delhi, April 13

The Task Force for Hydro Power Development on Tuesday undertook a review of the upcoming hydel stations in the country and the impediments in the fast execution of hydro projects.

Capacity commissioned

A capacity of 8,157 MW is likely to be commissioned during the Eleventh Plan while a capacity of 20,000 MW is proposed for Twelfth Plan.

Time schedule

Among the decisions taken at the meeting here, which was chaired by the Power Minister, Mr Sushilkumar Shinde, State Governments have been asked to facilitate environment clearance of projects at the state-level, including firming up a time schedule for various steps involved in these clearances and implementing them.

“State Governments will set, in consultation with the project developers, the timelines for each intermediate milestone including Survey and Investigation works, submission of DPR (detailed project report), concurrence of DPRs, award of projects by the State, finalisation of EIA (environmental impact assessment) study… financial closure and completion of the project in respect of each project and monitor the progress of implementation against the timelines on quarterly basis.

“Penal provisions including cancellation of the allotments may be incorporated for slippage in each intermediate milestone,” a statement issued by the Power Ministry said.

Form panel

States have also been asked to constitute an empowered committee under the Chief Secretary to facilitate all clearances required for the projects, including the environment and forest clearances.

Project authorities will be asked to take up opening of ITIs and other training institutes for skill development of local population which can be employed in the project in the construction stage and operation stage.

This cost will be allowed in the DPRs in respect of mega projects with capacity of 300 MW and above, according to the statement.

Besides this, the hydro capacity addition during the Eleventh Plan and advance action for capacity addition in the Twelfth Plan was discussed