On February 19, 2021, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated Pugalur тАУ Thrissur Power Transmission Project, Kasaragod Solar Power Project and Water Treatment Plant at Aruvikkara in Kerala.
- He also laid the foundation stone of Integrated Command and Control Centre and Smart Roads Project in Thiruvananthapuram during the event.
- The conference was also attended by Chief Minister of Kerala Shri Pinarayi Vijayan along with Union Ministers of State (IC) for Power New & Renewable Energy Shri Raj Kumar Singh and Housing & Urban Affairs Shri Hardeep Singh Puri, were also present on the occasion.
Key Points:
Pugalur тАУ Thrissur Power Transmission Project:
тАУThe 320KV ┬аPugalur (Tamil Nadu) тАУ Thrissur (Kerala) Power Transmission Project is the┬аfirst High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC)┬аinterconnection of Kerala with National Grid which will facilitate transfer of huge quantum of power.It is built at a cost of Rs.5070 Crore.
– It can transfer 2000 MW of Power from the western region and help meet the growth in load for the people of Kerala.
– The demand increases and it is expected to touch 5,000 MW by 2022, the capacity to transfer more power to Kerala needs to increase.
– For the 1st time in the country, Voltage Source Converters (VSC) converter technology has been introduced for transmission. This HVDC will reduce the stateтАЩs import dependence of power from the National Grid.
-The VSC-based system features the integration of HVDC-XLPE cable with overhead lines which saves the right-of-way and has 35-40% less land and footprint in comparison to the conventional HVDC system.
Kasaragod Solar Power Project:
тАУThe 50MW Kasaragod Solar Power Project was built over 250 acres of land Under PM-Kusum Yojana at a cost of Rs.280 Crores.
-Under PM-Kusum, over 20 lakh solar power pumps are being given to farmers. In the last six years, IndiaтАЩs solar energy capacity has increased 13 times.
Water Treatment Plant:
-75 MLD (million litres per day)Wastewater Treatment Infrastructure at Aruvikkara in Kerala is built at a cost of Rs. 70 crore under Atal Mission For -Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) Scheme.
-This would improve the lives of around 13 lakh citizens and this will help increase per capita water supply in Thiruvananthapuram to 150 litres per day from 100 litres per day supplied earlier.
– A total of 175 water supply projects are being taken up in Kerala under AMRUT at a cost of more than Rs 1100 crore. Universal coverage is provided in 9 AMRUT cities.
Integrated Command and Control Centre and Smart Roads Project:
тАУThe Integrated Command and Control Centre is set up at a cost of Rs.94 Crore under the Smart Cities Mission which is helping cities in better urban planning and management.
-Smart Roads Project, to be undertaken at an estimated cost of Rs 427 crores, envisages converting 37 Kms of existing roads in Thiruvananthapuram to world-class smart roads by bringing all overhead utilities underneath and undertaking road and junction improvements.
-The two Kerala Smart Cities тАУ Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram have made significant progress.
-27 projects worth Rs 773 crore were completed and 68 projects worth about Rs 2000 crore are in the pipe-line.
Recent Related News:
i.On January 7, 2021, Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated the 306-Km long New Rewari in
Haryana-New Madar in Rajasthan section of Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC) & flagged off the WorldтАЩs 1st Double Stack Long Haul 1.5 Km Container Train hauled by electric traction from Atela in Haryana тАУ Kishangarh in Rajasthan.
ii.On December 29, 2020, PM Modi virtually inaugurated the 351-Kms long New Bhaupur-New Khurja section in Uttar Pradesh for the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (EDFC).
About Kerala:
National Parks:Eravikulam National Park, Silent Valley National Park, Mathikettan Shola National Park, Pampadum Shola National Park.
Wild Life Sanctuary – Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary, Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary.
