Kolkata: Chief minister Suvendu Adhikari on Tuesday announced that the Bengal govt will directly buy land required for power projects, assuring landowners of attractive compensation to facilitate infrastructure development.“The state govt will directly buy land for any power project. Landowners will receive an attractive rate for their land in accordance with the 2013 Act. Many people have come forward and sold their land for setting up of industries and got very attractive compensation,” CM told officials at a review meeting with the power department and four state power PSUs.The move is aimed at expediting the implementation of new power projects by ensuring a smoother and more transparent land procurement process. Officials said that govt-led purchases will help minimise disputes and accelerate project execution.“Bengal has had a dearth of industries for several years, resulting in a power surplus. Despite this, complaints of low voltage and load-shedding lasting four-six hours continue to emerge from several areas. It does not matter who is in the govt or who runs the govt. It is your responsibility to ensure an uninterrupted electricity supply,” CM told the power department officials.Asserting that the govt was determined to stop power theft, CM warned officials against entertaining political interference. “Hooking has to stop. There will be no political interference in this matter. Disconnect illegal connections wherever hooking is detected,” he said.Adhikari also directed officials to intensify the recovery of electricity dues from industrial and commercial consumers. “There will be zero tolerance towards pending electricity bills of industries. Many commercial buildings also have outstanding electricity bills. In most cases, the owners are close to political functionaries,” CM said.“Be humane in the case of domestic consumers. Decisions should be taken after looking at their past payment records,” he added.The CM also urged officials to adopt a gradual approach in rolling out smart electricity meters, stressing the need to build public confidence before large-scale implementation. On PM Surya Ghar, the CM said, “We have been provided with a quota of 1 lakh homes by March 31, 2027. We hope to exceed it. Today, we have started this scheme in 1,800 houses.”
