PM-headed CCI clears 1980mw North Karanpura power project

Following continuous efforts by power minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, the Cabinet Committee on Investment (CCI) on Wednesday cleared major bottlenecks in the way of developing the Rs. 14,000 crore plus, 1980 mega watt North Karanpura super thermal power project of state-owned NTPC in Jharkhand.

Following continuous efforts by power minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, the Cabinet Committee on Investment (CCI) on Wednesday cleared major bottlenecks in the way of developing the Rs. 14,000 crore plus, 1980 mega watt North Karanpura super thermal power project of state-owned NTPC in Jharkhand.

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The move will give a major push to development of power projects by NTPC as also to country's power generation capacity. Even as the foundation of the North Karanpura power project was laid more than 10 years ago, the project has been long stuck for want of various clearances. Power ministry officials said that it was only due to the diligence of Scindia that finally led to its clearance on Wednesday.

This project was waiting clearance for the last 14 years.

This is the second meeting of the CCI that was formed last month under Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh to fast track projects that beyond a certain threshold that are stuck in various stages of procedural and regulatory approval.

“The CCI has cleared the proposal of the Ministry of Power for setting up of the North Karanpura Super Thermal Power Plant (NKSTPP) (3 x 660 MW) by NTPC in the vicinity of Tandwa town, district Chatra in Jharkhand,” said an official statement.

This is the first project of NTPC in Jharkhand which will benefit the state and people of Jharkhand where about 26% of the population is tribal.

The project got stuck after the ministry of coal withdrew the coal linkages in 2008 and raised issue of relocation of the project.