Power crisis has affected industries: Nirani

BANGALORE: Industrial production in the state has been adversely affected due to the impending power crisis which was exacerbated due to the shortage in coal supply, said Minister for Large and Medium  Scale Industry Murugesh Nirani. He was addressing the media after receiving a high-level business delegation from the Minas Gerais province of Brazil.The minister informed that the issue was expected to be deliberated at length during the state Cabinet meeting. “A Cabinet sub-committee, too, is expected to deal with the situation,” Nirani said.  The minister added that the stubbornness of the Independent Power Producers (IPPs) in the  state over selling power at prices fixed by the government too will be discussed.He said that at present IPPs are being paid an average of Rs. 9 per unit they produce in the open  access system while the government was offering to pay Rs. 4.80 per unit. “The concerned minister is  seized of the matter and holding talks with representatives of the IPPs for finding a lasting  solution,” he said.He said that several private companies have committed investment to generate over 18,000 MW of power over the next three years during the Global Investors Meet-2010. The state has already acquired about 2,000 acres of land for the proposed 4,000 MW Bijapur Thermal Power Plant for which an MoU was signed in GIM-2010.Power Supply Playes Hide-and-Seek in Vidhana SoudhaBangalore: A high-level business delegation from the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil who were invited to explore investment opportunities in the state, had a taste of power situation in the state during their interaction with the minister and senior-level officers of the department of large and medium industries on Thursday. During a presentation session, organised at the conference hall of the Vidhana Soudha, the state secretariat and the hosts had to face an embarrassing situation owing to power fluctuations all through the event. Officials of the Department of Industry and Commerce, representatives of the FICCI, FKCCI and SME’s were present on the occasion.