Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Saturday said it was time to do away with free electricity as it was proving to be an obstruction to the growth of the power sector.
"At a time when the demand for power is steadily rising and power cuts are rising alarmingly in the country, it is time to tell people that free power is a hindrance to the power sector," Singh said.
The prime minister was speaking here after opening the 1,500 MW Nathpa Jhakri hydro project at Jhakri, some 150 km from the state capital Shimla. It is the country's largest hydropower project.
He said the time had come for state electricity boards to reform.
"The state boards are undergoing steady losses. So the boards must improve their functioning by carrying out reforms," Singh said.
The Nathpa project was built by the state-run Sutlej Jal Vidyut Nigam Ltd, which is also building other projects in the Sutlej basin.
The Nathpa project started commercial operations a year ago and has so far generated around 7,400 million units. In the last one year it has earned revenue worth Rs.12.50 billion.
The project supplies power to the northern grid.
At 21,000 MW, Himachal has a quarter of the country's hydropower potential, of which over a quarter has been tapped.
Harvard students condemn Oxford University
Publish Date : 3/5/2007 7:11:00 AM
Two Harvard students, including an NRI, have condemned Oxford University, where they are Rhodes scholars, as "outdated" and "frustrating" and dismissed its world famous Bodleian library as "less than inspiring".
Indian embassy to outsource jobs to American firm
Publish Date : 3/5/2007 7:10:00 AM
After taking thousands of American jobs through outsourcing, India is planning to give a few back. The Indian embassy in the US capital is planning to outsource processing of visas to a US-based company.
Badal heads 18-member coalition ministry in Punjab(Final lead: Badal)
Publish Date : 3/3/2007 7:29:00 AM
Octogenarian leader of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) Parkash Singh Badal, on Friday took oath as Punjab's new Chief Minister and will lead an 18-member SAD-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) coalition ministry.
Bareilly eunuch adopts a girl child
Publish Date : 3/3/2007 7:22:00 AM
It was a day of celebration for Saroj, a eunuch in Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh, as 'she' has become a 'mother' by adopting a baby girl.
Kalam offers prayer at Fatehpuri Masjid
Publish Date : 3/3/2007 7:16:00 AM
Keeping a promise made two years ago, President A P J Abdul Kalam today offered prayers at the historic Fatehpuri Masjid in Chandni Chowk here along with thousands of Muslims.
Union Budget directionless, says Modi
Publish Date : 3/1/2007 8:41:00 AM
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi today criticised the Union Budget by terming it as "directionless".
Centre allocates over Rs 100 crore for minority zones
Publish Date : 3/1/2007 8:38:00 AM
Unfazed by the BJP's criticism over its welfare schemes for Muslims, the Congress-led Central Government has allocated over Rs 100 crore for development programmes in select districts with a sizeable population of minorities.
Kins of political bigwigs fail to find voters' favour
Publish Date : 3/1/2007 8:27:00 AM
The assembly polls in Punjab turned out to be unkind for several kins of political bigwigs as voters rejected most of them barring some of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) supremo Parkash Singh Badal's near and dear ones.
High Court order on age of nursery admission tomorrow
Publish Date : 3/1/2007 8:24:00 AM
The Delhi High Court today observed that the city Government's submission that a child should be four-years-old to get admission in nursery class was contrary to the law.
Parliament session may be stormy tomorrow on Quattrocchi issue
Publish Date : 3/1/2007 8:18:00 AM
After the lull, it is going to be storm again in Parliament tomorrow.
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