The power transmission company, Power Grid, in which the central government holds a majority stake (57.9 percent), is planning to spend Rs 1 lakh crore over the next four years to expand its network and connect areas affected by left-wing extremism (LWE) and the north-eastern states, Livemint reported yesterday (14 July).

In addition to the Power Grid’s existing network in Uttar Pradesh and the North-East, the company put into operation an 186 circuit km 400-kilovolt transmission line from Ranchi in Jharkhand to Gaya in Bihar the day before yesterday. This transmission line passes through the left-wing extremism affected areas like Lohardaga, Latehar and Chatra in Jharkhand.

The project will help break the monopoly of the incumbent actors operating in the region and give the household and industrial consumers more choice and freedom in purchasing power.

The company is hoping to put 84,500 ckm into operation in the next couple of years in addition to its existing network of 130,000 ckm, a more than 60 percent increase in infrastructure addition which is huge.

The company intends to aid connectivity and communications in the regions where it now seeks to penetrate. It plans to do this in two ways.

First, it plans to install telecom towers along transmission routes. It is still not clear who will build/operate these towers. LWE affected areas are generally known for poor connectivity and telecom operators are loath to operate in such areas.

Second, apart from telecom towers, Power Grid corporation will also run a fibre optic cable network . This diversification will have a multiplier effect on the development of the region that’s been neglected for long.

At the same time, the company will be contributing in the progress of Digital India programme.