Late PM Manmohan Singh remembered

Late Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, had gifted two major nuclear energy related projects to Haryana during his tenure when he laid the foundation stone of the 2800 MW Haryana Anu Vidhyut Pariyojna, which is to come up at an estimated cost of Rs 23.500 crore in Gorakhpur village of Fatehabad district and Global Centre of Nuclear Energy Partnership (GCNEP) at Jasaur Kheri village in Jhajjar district in January, 2014.

While the Gorakhpur-based project is in the developing phase, the first phase of the GCNEP has been made operational since April 2017. The foundation stone for the Khedar Thermal Power Plant was laid by Dr Singh on May 19, 2007.

MP Jaiprakash detailed the challenges and eventual realisation of the Khedar Thermal Plant. Land acquisition for the plant began in the early 1990s, but the project was stalled after the land was transferred to the Forest Department. Persistent efforts by Jaiprakash and former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda brought the project back to life. They successfully persuaded Dr Singh to intervene, who not only secured the land but also ensured the project’s swift approval.

Hisar MP Jai Prakash recalled that he raised the issue of setting of Tharmal Power plant in Hisar with the then Chief Minister, Bhupinder Singh Hooda. The CM took up the matter with the Dr Singh who approved the project and even visited Hisar to lay the foundation stone of the project.