By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, September 8, 2017: : Odisha on Friday sought 25-33 per cent of free power from thermal power generating stations to the coal bearing states.

The issue came up during an official meeting of chief minister, Naveen Patnaik with union power secretary Ajay Bhalla here.

Patnaik said that coal bearing states like Odisha are facing negative fallouts of coal mining and thermal power stations.

“Therefore, the Centre should consider 25-33 per cent free power from coal fired thermal generating stations to the host states,” he added.

They also discussed several issues related to the power sector and electrification in Odisha.

A release by the CM’s officer said, Patnaik also asked for de-allocation of costly NTPC power from stations located outside Odisha.

Allocations from NTPC plants within the state and other thermal plants are adequate and there is no requirement of additional power from NTPC stations located outside Odisha, it said.

During the discussion, Patnaik sought to speed up the finalisation of Standard Bidding Document for the Ultra Mega Power project at Bhedabahal in Sundargarh district, which is pending for the central government’s approval for more than three years.

He also raised certain issues including of power allocation and rural electrification in Odisha.

He laid stress on the need for inclusion of SECC (socio-economic caste census) households in partially electrified villages under Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana to achieve 100 percent household electrification.