UNI

Panaji, Mar 18: The Centre has restored allocation of 25 MW of power to Goa and promised to allocate an additional 25 MW soon to help the tourist state tide over peak hour shortages.

Announcing this while commissioning Rs 34 crore underground cabling scheme at Margao in South Goa last evening, Union Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde said he would also consider helping the state to set up a gas-based power plant of its own to make it self-sufficient.

He said he would also examine the proposal for sanctioning Rs 176 crore for expanding the underground cable network in South Goa coastal belt.

In this connection, Mr Shinde lauded the performance of Goa under the Centre-sponsored Accelerated Power Development and Reforms Programme (APDRP). Chief Minister Pratapsingh Rane and State Power Minister Digambar Kamat were also present on the occasion.

He said Goa had recorded the lowest power transmission and distribution loss of 16 per cent besides making a surplus Rs 120 crore revenue as a result of reform programme.