Zenith question govt’s decision to revise cost of Ganol power project

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaNovember 10, 2020

Congress legislator from Rangsakona, Zenith Sangma on Tuesday questioned the state government’s decision to revise the cost estimate for completion of the Ganol small hydro project stage-I.

Moving a cut motion in the Assembly, Sangma said the 25.5 megawatt Ganol power project in West Garo Hills was conceptualized with an intention to supply uninterrupted power supply to consumers.

He recalled that the project was first sanctioned at Rs 177.53 crore and in the following year in 2008 due to certain reasons which may be due change of guard (in the government), it could not take off.

Sangma said due to this the contractor refused to execute the work with the same estimate and this has compelled the government to revise the estimate amounting to Rs 356.43 crore in 2014 with a target to complete the project in 2020.

He said per record till date, 65 percent of the construction work has already been completed and in terms of financial progress, Rs 222.59 crore was received by MeECL (62 percent).

“Inspite of the fact that the financial and physical progress is matching…I don’t know why is it necessary (for the government) to further escalate the estimate,” he said

It may be mentioned that the proposal to revise the cost of the project further from Rs 356.43 crore to Rs 507.71 crore was approved by the state cabinet in September, this year.