Devendra Fadnavis: Power tariffs to come down in the new year

Your power bills will dip in the new year, because the central government will give coal on a preferential basis for the state's power plants, and because the state government will revive Konkan's Dabhol power plant, thus improving electricity supply.

Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday made a statement to this effect in the winter session of the assembly.

Fadnavis said that the central government had already taken a "positive" stance about the Dabhol power project. He said, "We have already had a meeting with the centre leadership in this regard. Their stance is very positive. Very soon, we will give the good news (of Dabhol's revival) to the state. The Dabhol project will help to increase the power supply."

He added, "Besides, the centre's rational policies will create ample supply of coal, which will substantially reduce the power rates in the coming days." By 'rational policies', the chief minister meant the centre's decision to give coal on a priority basis to the state's power plants.

The Dabhol project is capable of producing 1,967 megawatts of electricity. It is operated by Ratnagiri Gas and Power, owned by NTPC and GAIL India. The project has been mired in several controversies since its inception in 1992. Shortage in the supply of natural gas, which the power plant uses for electricity generation, has kept it idle for the past year.