Odisha’s Deputy Chief Minister, K.V. Singh Deo, met Union Minister for Power, Housing and Urban Affairs, Manohar Lal, in Delhi on Tuesday, July 29, to advocate for crucial support for the state’s power sector.
During the meeting, Dy CM Singh Deo highlighted several key concerns and requested favorable consideration from the Union Minister.
A primary request from the Odisha delegation was the early sanction of Rs 3,069 crore under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS). This funding is deemed essential for the ongoing development and improvement of the state’s power distribution infrastructure.
Given Odisha’s vulnerability to frequent cyclones and floods, the Deputy Chief Minister emphasized the urgent need for Central Financial Assistance (CFA) for Disaster Resilient Power Infrastructure. This aligns with a proposal from the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) for selective underground cabling, particularly within 30 km of the coastline, to bolster the state’s power grid against natural calamities.
Furthermore, in anticipation of rising power demand, Singh Deo urged for an additional allocation of 800 MW of power from the NLC Talabira Phase-II project.
“This would bring Odisha’s total share from the 3200 MW project capacity to 1200 MW, supplementing the 400 MW already allocated from Phase-I,” an official statement read.
Deo underscored Odisha’s significant progress in power sector development, stating that the requested sanctions would not only benefit the people of Odisha but also contribute to the national objective of ensuring reliable and resilient power infrastructure across the country.
