KOHIMA, June 29 – Nagaland Power Minister Tiameren Aier said the DONER ministry has already released the first instalment for 24-MW thermal power project at Dimapur, which was a commitment in former prime minister AB Vajpayee’s special economic package announced last year. The minister told the state Assembly that the first instalment or mobilization advance amounting to Rs. 18.86 crore has directly been released to the executing agency Bharat Heavy Electricals (BHEL) by DONER in March, 2004.
Land for the project has already been acquired and the survey and preparation of estimates for boundary wall and fencing were in progress, he said, adding a meeting between state power department and BHEL for implementation of project was held last month. The Rs. 105 crore power project was committed by Vajpayee in the Rs. 1050 crore economic package during his visit to Nagaland last year.
When members drew his attention towards the ‘deplorable’ power situation at Dimapur, Tiameren said although completion of system improvement project at Dimapur under centrally sponsored Accelerated Power Development and Reforms Programme (APDRP) was targeted by March 2004, it could not be done due to non-release of fund. The target date was later altered to December 2004.