Tripura first North-Eastern State to start power grid modernisation scheme.

In 2010, the Centre proposed a Rs. 11,411 crore programme to modernise the outdated electricity transmission and distribution system in the eight North-Eastern States under World Bank’s assistance. Power Grid Corporation was nominated as the executing agency.

On March 13, Tripura is going to be the only State in the region to kick-start the project. Top officials of PGCIL and World Bank will be flying down to Agartala to celebrate rolling out of Rs. 1,376-crore scheme.

'We are the first State to adopt the programme,' State Power Minister Manik Dey told BusinessLine.

Other States – Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Mizoram, Meghalaya and Nagaland – are lying behind as they as they want their respective State government-run agencies to execute the project. This is irrespective of the technical ability of such State agencies.

But Tripura declined to join the chorus.

'We didn’t find anything to object in the involvement of PGCIL. We are only interested in improving our facilities, for the long term gain,' Dey said.

HBL