Clean and Affordable Power: Shinde 

The centre is taking all care to support the cause of the States so that the power situation improves. The Prime Minister himself has been monitoring everything in the coordination committee. 

The DayAfter: How about indigenous support to the new projects? Can we cope with that.

Sushilkumar Shinde: Unfortunately, at the moment, no. When we compare with other countries like China, we find that our Bharat Heavy Electrical Limited (BHEL) can build capacity only up to 5000 to 10,000 MWs. China and others are three times bigger than BHEL with the result that BHEL is unable to cope with the market demand. So to augument our strength NTPC will begin manufacturing boilers and turbines. This is essential considering we have huge hydroelectricity power available in the country i.e. 150000 MW. This continues in the whole Himalayan range right from Kashmir to Tawang in Arunachal.

DA: Mr. Minister, as a modern minister, as a working minister how do you inspire confidence to the industry and realize the dreams of the Prime Minister and the UPA chairperson? You are believed to have the ability to perform karishma in the power sector?

SS: It’s not the question of karishma, but one needs to sit with all concerned. Listen to what they have to say. Identify the problems and the grey areas and then work towards a solution. I have done that and I am confident that very soon I will deliver the goods to the Prime Minister and the UPA Chairperson.

DA: The challenge today is not only to provide power to all the sectors, but also to provide clean and reliable power. What steps have been taken to ensure that power is clean and reliable?

SS: The Electricity Act of 2003 is very clear and the Govt. of India particularly UPA Govt. has decided to provide clean and cheap power that is why the whole concept of the power department has been changed and the bidding process has been started so that cheaper power is available. The example of two ultra mega projects which is costing about Rs. 1.90 in Sasan and Rs. 1.40 in Mundra unit is there. The bidding was transparent and competitive to the advantage of the consumers.

Talking of clean and cheap power, I must point out that that is why so much emphasis on hydroelectric projects.

DA: You are known as a common man’s minister. How do you ensure that they get affordable power? Do you intend to have two rates of power, for peak time and normal times?

SS: Off-peak hours, we give electricity at cheaper rates and during peak hours we charge a little higher. That has to be continued, but as far as the residential areas of the poor are concerned, the yardstick has to be different. We look towards the hydroelectric and the mega power projects for providing cheaper power so that the needs of the poor too can be taken care of.

DA: Many people feel that the hydroelectricity potential in the mountains is still not satisfactorily used. What do you say? What steps are taken by the UPA government in that direction to provide affordable power to the poor people?

SS: To achieve this goal recently we have gone to Arunachal Pradesh and have an agreement of generating 15000 MW with Arunachal govt. and through NIPPO and NHPC. While exploiting power from those regions and laying transmission lines, it has been decided that 1 paisa per unit will be charged as development charge for the benefit of North-East region. In addition they will get 12% free power for their own use.

DA: Shinde Sahib non-conventional source of energy is another area demanding your attention. What is your achievement during the UPA rule in this sector?

SS: We are very keen on any source that provides cheap and clean power. Lot of research is going on and we are in touch with countries like Germany and Norway that have done an excellent job in this area. We encourage indigenous efforts too.

DA: Are thermal power projects working at their full capacity? What needs to be done to improve their productivity?

SS: The problem is that the PLF in these projects is very low. The national PLF is 73% but our NTPC PLF is more than 90%. If their PLF is low you cannot produce more power. We have started a scheme of APDRP under which we have found that the PLF has gone up more than 68% in many cases.

DA: If you have to write your report card, what would you write?

SS: All I can say at this moment is that we are moving like the fast train – Punjab Mail and would soon reach our destination.

DA: Do you intend to cooperate with the SAARC countries regarding this sector?

SS: We are already cooperating with Nepal and Bhutan and hope that very soon this sphere expands. Bangladesh has gas and we need it. Pakistan too has plans so that pipelines can bring gas from the central Asian countries. We are moving in the direction of SAARC cooperation. NTPC  has established a 500 MW unit in Sri Lanka. So a significant step has already been taken in Sri Lanka, Bhutan and Nepal.

DA: Where do you feel more comfortable - in the state or national politics?

SS: I am a humble worker of the Congress party. Sonia Gandhi ji is my leader. Wherever she sends me, I feel happy and I work there whole heartedly whether it is as a chief minister or a centre minister. I have enjoyed working at all the places.

DA: Do you go to the movies with your family?

SS: Not now, though earlier I used. Now my children are not only grown up but have families of their own.

DA: If you were to choose your menu what would you choose?

SS: I like whatever is available. I am not partial to any particular food or anything. Whatever is available I am happy. I thank God for giving me that.

DA: Which was your first job? Who are your colleagues? Do they still meet you?

SS: Yes, they come.

DA: What is his name? Only one person who was very close to you. Who’s sharing tea, or gup lagana, or chaupati pe ghumna?

SS: Nahin chaupati pe to nahin ghume.

DA: You are in a police?

SS: No, don’t write all this, there police officer are there, but when are in the session court of sholapur, Books has come. This man has written a book on my life. Mr. Mohmani is from my gali (area). He is a freedom fighter.

DA: So that people met you. What do you feel that time.

SS: They met me. I feel to go to their houses have a cup of tea. Recently I take all my friends of high school, those who studies and surviving, they are about 60. Somewhere in Goa, somewhere in Kolapur, somewhere in Pune, somewhere in Hyderabad, but my two friends have collected this fare. And there are 60 people we got it and we collect it one day. That are from 57 to 60. So we all enjoyed our old days. We called our teachers also.