AGARTALA /NEW DELHI, October 11, 2014 (TIWN): Amidst all the puffs and pufferies on power sharing between India and Bangladesh from the much talked Palatana power project site of India’s North Eastern (NE), not that decisive anything has occurred yet. Though, media reports and multiple official disclosures have already established that neighboring Bangladesh, possessing a significant strategic bilateral relation with India, is all set to get 100 Mega Watt (MW) share in lieu of its approval to use of its land for transporting machineries and engineering facilities for Palatana site. As presently Government of Tripura has a share capital of 0.5 % in ONGC Tripura Power Company (OTPC), the parent body of the Palatana power plant, the finger in the power button lies with the union Government.

 OTPC is ONGC's first power plant in India & also the biggest Plant in North East. TIWN has got access to letters of Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and Government of India and the office of Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Power, Coal and New & Renewable Energy of Government of India. The letter issued from the MEA has revealed that Government of India and Bangladesh have constituted a Joint Technical Team to look into the technical requirements for sale of power from Tripura to Bangladesh. Furthermore, TIWN’s Bangladesh consulate sources revealed that the matter of power sharing was discussed giving due importance dyringthe visit of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to Bangladesh in June, 2014.   

Meanwhile, union minister of state (Power) Piyush Goyal has assured the state Tripura of installation of a High-Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) station at Agartala for selling surplus power to Bangladesh. Now, here an obvious question is Tripura, herself, is not self sufficient in power generation and the state is yet to generate power beyond its requirement. Still the load shedding at odd hour of night is in practice and during the Durga Puja season Tripura had borrowed from the neighboring NER states of Meghalaya, Mizoram and other such sources. Besides, as of now, there is no provision for reimbursing the royalty to Government of Tripura for the Power transmitted inside the state. Instead of selling this 100 MW power to Bangladesh, if the same is used in building another mid-scale power plant in Tripura qualified and educated unemployed youths of Tripura will be able to find a meaningful employment in their home state and thus avoiding the brain drain. Many students passing out from multiple technical and professional colleges and universities (primarily one would be Centre of Excellence NIT and one Central University) do not get adequate job opportunity in state due to lack of industrial development in the state. To add insult to the injuries few vested interest elements try to capitalize this dearth of employment opportunity and compel the unemployed educated youths of the state to alongwith them (some anti state and separatist forces) for polluting the socio-political scenario of the state. There are few Gas and Power PSUs present in Tripura which can be utilized for providing the Tripura boys and girls with the job opportunities. And an optimum 100 MW power can pave the way for the same because the old saying, in this regard is Charity Begins at Home. Below is the allocation of Power of OTPC.

While OTPC will be selling the remaining 98 MW electricity.

State Tripura can, substantially, boast of its number of power generation facilities and capabilities. To further strengthen this heavy industry, an RTI (Right To Information) was filed as regards the overall development of Tripura having a bearing on Tripura’s power sector. In the letter, the issues of increasing the 10 % shareholding of GoT in North East Transmission Company Limited (NETC) and increasing the shareholding of Government of Tripura in North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Limited (NEEPCO).

Additionally, increasing the voltage level upto 400KV for AC transmission line inside Tripura and facilitating the state Government for creation of separate Generation, Transmission and distribution company in Tripura have also been sought through a letter to the union minister of Power. Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Power Piyush Goyal has assured that he would examine the points put forward for the development existing and potential power sector of Tripura.