MARGAO
Promising a big transformation in the Power Department in the next two years and half, Power Minister Ramkrishna Sudin Dhavalikar on Friday said the power issues plaguing South Goa will be resolved once the ongoing projects, including underground cabling, is executed in the next two years.
Reminding he was instrumental in resolving the water woes faced by the people of South Goa during his stint as PWD Minister, Dhavalikar said all power issues facing Salcete and Mormugao taluka will be resolved in the next two years and half.
Speaking to the media on the sidelines at the launching of ATPM by the TJSB Sahakari Bank at Aquem on Friday, the Power Minister said the credit for a change in the power scenario will go to Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and all MLAs cooperating with the Power Department in the implementation of the projects.
Asserting the department has initiated a host of projects to tide over the power problems facing South Goa, Dhavalikar said the department has initiated underground cabling estimated around Rs 1,200 crore. “The process to commence work on the Verna sub-station at an estimated cost of Rs 350 crore is complete and the file has gone to the Finance Department for expenditure sanction. We expect the approval to come within the next 15 days, he said, adding that power supply to Verna and the entire South Goa should improve in the coming days.
Besides, the Power Minister said that a 65MVA power transformer is at the stage of commissioning at Verna, which would improve the power supply to the industrial estate. In addition, he said the government would take up underground cabling in Canacona taluka in the forest, agriculture and coastal areas of the taluka, including the Municipal area to resolve the power issues.
“The department will soon take up the work of executing the Rs 200 crore power project at Saligao after the tendering. All these works will improve the power supply in both North and South Goa,” he added.
Dhavalikar said, “I will resolve the power issues plaguing the district in the next two years and half. I had laid a 100MLD JICA plant at Sanguem to resolve the water woes of South Goa, including Mormugao,” he said, even as he asked the people to have faith in him and the Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to bring about a turnaround in the power scenario in both North and South Goa.
The Power Minister also disclosed plans to float a tender to take up fencing of transformers and electrical equipment and their maintenance at a cost of Rs 2 crore.
Officials of the TJSB Sahakari Bank informed the bank has obtained RBI permission to set up five ATPMs in Goa, adding that the ATPM at Margao is the second collection centre opened by the bank in Goa.
