The unwelcome load shedding by the Meghalaya Energy Corporation Ltd (MeECL) will come to an end by Wednesday, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said today.
The state has been plunged into darkness for between seven and nine hours per day, depending on the district, since midnight of February 14, to sharp criticism from the opposition Congress, as well as rumbles of discontent from government coalition allies, such as the Bharatiya Janata Party and United Democratic Party.
Informing journalists, Sangma said that the Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (PGCIL), which is owed certain dues by Meghalaya, decided to regulate its power supply to the deficient state.
The CM, however, informed that the Rural Electrification Corporation (REC) has come to the rescue by giving Meghalaya a loan of Rs 1,345 crore under Aatmanirbhar Bharat scheme with an objective to enable the state to clear its dues to the different generation companies, including PGCIL.
The amount from the REC will be paid out in two separate tranches. The money, however, will be paid directly by the REC to the power generation companies and not go through the state government.
Sangma informed that, out of the first tranche, Rs 127 crore was paid to NEEPCO, Rs 14 crore to NHPC, Rs 144 crore to NTPC and approximately Rs 25 crore to PGCIL.
