Cabinet approves Rs 1,700 crore more for northeast power project

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, on Wednesday, approved the revised cost estimate of Rs 6,700 crore for the north eastern region power system improvement project (NERPSIP) which aims to augment power transmission and distribution systems in the area.

The project was sanctioned by the government in December, 2014, with the initial cost estimate of Rs 5,111.3 crore, and is funded by the Centre and the World Bank on a 50:50 basis.

The scheme is being implemented through Power Grid Corporation of India in the six beneficiary north eastern states of Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Tripura, and is targeted to be commissioned by December 2021.

The government had earlier informed the parliament that the project was scheduled to be completed by November, 2020.

The larger allocations under the scheme were earmarked for Assam (Rs 1,473.8 crore), Tripura (Rs 1,372.2 crore), Meghalaya (Rs 776.9 crore) and Nagaland (Rs 729.4 crore).

“Implementation of this scheme will create a reliable power grid and improve north eastern region states’ connectivity to the upcoming load centers, and thus extend the benefits of the grid connected power to all categories of consumers of beneficiaries in north eastern region,” the government said.