PANAJI / AGARTALA, June 17 (TIWN): Furious Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal has asked the reason behind Tripura and few other Power Ministers skipping of important conference in Panaji on Thrusday. Voicing his displeasure at the absence of some states at the power Ministers conference including Tripura Minister Manik Dey, the Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday sought a report into their non-participation. "Please let me know why some of the states are not represented here. I presume if ministers have not come, their secretaries must have come. But if secretaries have also boycotted the meeting, submit a report to me," he told the secretary in his ministry following the inauguration of the two-day June 16-17 conference at Panaji. "If they (states) act like this, we will have to behave in similar way. Last time, I had made it abundantly clear that we have a lot of time to help and solve problems of the state but it will have to be two-way traffic. "It cannot be one-way. I am very keen to know the reason why few states could not come," Goyal said. Modi Govt. however pushing state Tripura to improve the infrastructures in State, but the one-way pushing of the central Ministry is unable to encourage the development here.

The half-yearly conference is being attended by power ministers and secretaries of states and union territories and senior officials of public sector undertakings of the ministry, but nobody was from Tripura.

Earlier in his inaugural address, Goyal said the northeastern states require special attention from the rest of the country. "Unless we care for northeast India, we will never be able to change the future of India," he said. Modi Govt.’s

It’s to be mentioned here TIWN Correspondent on June 15, wednesday 10.27 am called Tripura Power Minister Manik Dey in his mobile number asking for another issue. But Minister after hearing a bunches of question regarding SMART City project he said, “I’m presently at a meeting in Delhi, so I can’t talk in this issue now, call me later”.

Union Power Minister has said, "Ministers from the northeast have not been able to come. Mizoram, Meghalaya, Manipur, Tripura... if they have any specific problem then we will resolve it”.

It’s worthy to mention here that State Electricity corporation is already under huge pressure as already it has begged just few days from NEEPCO for clearing its due bill of 180.33.  

Reportedly, due to the unpending bill of power which stand Rs 180.33 crores since May 2013 Tripura was to lose power supply from NEEPCO from April 5, 2016. 

But TSECL on March 30 had asked for some more time. Not only this, various Govt. departments didn’t pay off bill to TSECL. And Tripura’s load-shedding rate is greater than anyother state in the country.

But, Tripura’s Power Department has no concern to develop the state, moreover they visits via flights, spends lakhs in visits but comes back in empty hands.

But other developing states who bothered to obey the central Ministry level meeting was appreciated by Goyal. "I am happy that this conference has developed into a good platform for exchange of ideas and to understand each other's problems," said Goyal.

"Last time I had mentioned about the importance of everybody's participation at the highest level. More so because this gives us the chance to learn from your experiences, to understand what is best for each state, what could be a better way to do it.

"It is probably the first time in so many years that you had a power Ministers conference religiously organised every six months," he added.

Manik Dey’s absence from all important National Power conference likely to cost Tripura heavily in coming months as Tripura missed a golden opportunity to seek Centre’s assistance in upgrading Tripura’s decaying power infrastructure in State.