AP to Procure 100 MW from Karnataka in July to Meet Power Shortage

Andhra Pradesh government is reportedly set to procure 100 mega watts (MW) of power from Karnataka in July, to meet power shortages in the state

AP had initially requested for 300 MW power from Karnataka, but will receive 100 MW instead, the State Energy Department said in a statement. The state has also approached Tamil Nadu for at least 200 MW of electricity.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is said to have asked the department officials to procure additional power from various sources to meet the crippling demand of power in the state.

The Union government has already allocated 65 MW to AP from its central generating stations and the Centre has also promised to supply 4 lakh tonne of coal from Western Coal fields and provide railway transport facilities to the state.

Apart from Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, power-starved Andhra Pradesh will also commission its 800 MW capacity Krishnapatnam power plant. Additionally, the State government is banking on private power generating companies in the state for its power requirements. Hinduja National Power Limited near Visakhapatnam will commission its 1,040 MW power project to meet the state's power shortages.

The State government said that it has already gotten 800 MW of power out of the ordered 1,750 MW share from the united state of Andhra Pradesh.

To bring the power crisis under control, the Chief Minister will hold a high-level meeting with officials of the State Energy Conservation Mission (SECM) and chalk out a strategy, which includes both procurement and generation of power.

Naidu to meet IT, Pharma and other industrialists soon

Naidu has entrusted a task of preparing a road map for development of software, hardware, pharmaceuticals and other key industries in the state to a group of senior IAS officers. The CM wanted to attract industrialists to the state with an innovative policy, which includes a single window facility.

He has asked the officials to come out with an industry-friendly policy very soon. Naidu will hold a special meeting with IT and other industry representatives in the state to discuss the special category status being given to Andhra Pradesh by the Centre.

The main aim of the meeting is to discuss the benefits industrialists will get like tax exemptions and incentives under the State's special category status.