Centre okays transfer of HFCL land to BTPS

Patna: The Centre has given its approval to the transfer of 56 acres of land of Hindustan Fertiliser Corporation Limited (HFCL) to Barauni Thermal Power Station (BTPS). The mutual understanding between the Centre and the state government has paved the way for the fast pacing of the process of completion of the modernisation of BTPS for improved power production.A state energy department communiqué said the agreement had been amicably reached between the Centre and the state government. The energy department would use the 56 acres of land transferred by HFCL to BTPS as ash dyke. The central cabinet gave its approval to the land transfer at its meeting held on May 24, but not without riders.
The two-pronged riders were that the state government would have to pay compensation for the transferred 56 acres of land to HFCL at the mutually agreed rate. As already computed, the state government would now have to pay Rs 5.6 crore to HFCL at the rate of Rs 10 lakh per acre of land. Both BTPS and HFCL are located at Barauni in Begusarai district.
The other understanding reached between the state government and the Centre for the amicable transfer of HFCL land to BTPS was that the erstwhile Bihar State Electricity Board (BSEB) would write off power dues worth Rs 400 crore on HFCL. In turn, HFCL would write off the Rs 350 crore worth of its dues on Bihar State Cooperative Marketing Union (BISCOMAUN) that was payable to it.
The energy department communiqué said the compensation amount of Rs 5.6 crore payable to HFCL for the transfer of its 56 acre land to BTPS was fixed and reached at through price assessment of the land jointly by Begusarai DM and HFCL.