Budget-Focus on power, social security
Jangveer Singh
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 8
The SAD-BJP government seems to be pinning its future on power and the ability to make the state power surplus by allocating power sector Rs 2,593 crore, which constitutes the biggest chunk of money to any one sector in the state Budget.

The proposed outlay, which constitutes 30 per cent of the Plan size, aims to make Punjab a power surplus state by 2012.

Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal said under the Plan to establish three thermal power plants, the 1,980-MW Talwandi Sabo thermal plant project had already been allotted and work on it was under progress. He said land for the 2,640-MW Gidderbaha thermal power project had been identified and would be acquired after the finalisation of coal linkages. The minister said all procedural formalities had been completed for the 540-MW Goindwal Sahib thermal project and that the 1320-MW Rajpura thermal project would undergo fresh bidding. The plan lays down Rs 1,925 crore for transmission and distribution, Rs 468 crore for generation and Rs 200 crore for maintenance and strengthening of other schemes.