To modernise power infrastructure, Assam in talks with AIIB for ₹3,200-crore loan
The Assam government is negotiating a ₹3,200-crore loan from Beijing-headquartered Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) to revamp its archaic electricity distribution system, which is responsible for poor quality of supply and high peak shortage.
A decision in this regard is expected by December.
Peak shortage
As in the first half of this fiscal, the North-East reported highest peak shortage of 4.9 per cent, as against a national average of 0.7 per cent. The reasons lie mostly in Assam — the largest State in the region.
Years of inaction has left the State with an archaic distribution system marked that still uses bamboo poles, inadequate number of sub-stations, leading to frequent power cuts and voltage fluctuations.
