Tripura is keen to supply at least 100 MW of electricity to
power-starved Bangladesh as it has become a power surplus state, Chief
Minister Manik Sarkar said in Agartala. "We have already told the Indian
government that Tripura is ready to supply at least 100 MW of
electricity to Bangladesh. The central government can now inform this to
Bangladesh government to initiate a formal process in this regard,"
Sarkar at a business summit at Agartala.
He said: "To supply power from Tripura to Bangladesh, only a nine km
transmission line is required to be erected from (western Tripura's
bordering village) Rabindranagar to connect with that country's
electricity network." "During my visit to Dhaka in 2012, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed her desire to import power from our state."The chief minister said that after the completion of commissioning of
two mega power projects by June or July this year, at least 200 MW
power would be surplus in Tripura. Sarkar, a politburo member of the Communist Party of India-Marxist,
is in favour of sharing Teesta river water with Bangladesh a move that
was strongly opposed by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
"Everybody has a claim of water where the river flows. India should
not be act as a big brother with its neighbours. I believe that the
Teesta water dispute would be sorted out soon," he added.
According to Sarkar, Bangladesh has special attention towards the
northeast. Hence, the Indian government should reciprocate positively
this approach. Sarkar, who was bestowed with Muktijuddha award in 2012 by the
Bangladesh government for his role in the 1971 Liberation War, said that
Bangladesh helped India to carry heavy machinery and turbines through
its territories for the Palatana power project (726 MW) in Tripura.State-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) is commissioning
its biggest ever commercial power project (726 MW) at Palatana in
southern Tripura (60 km south of Agartala) while the state-run North
East Electric Power Corporation (NEEPCO) is setting up a 104 MW power
project at Monarchak in western Tripura (70 km south of Agartala) and
eight km from the India-Bangladesh border.
The Palatana project is a hallmark of cooperation between India and
Bangladesh, which ensured the smooth passage of heavy project equipment
and turbines to Palatana through its territory by road and waterways
from Haldia port in West Bengal. He told the summit that his Left Front government was not in favour
of setting up of projects under PPP (public private partnership) in the
northeastern India. The day-long business summit was organised by the Associated Chambers
of Commerce and Industry in India (Assocham). Industrialists and
investors from various parts of the country took part in the meet. Tripura Industries and Commerce Minister Jitendra Chowdhury and
Chairman of Assocham (eastern and northeastern region chapter) Sanjay
Jhunjhunwala were also present at the event.
Source- Business standard
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