FROM MAHARASHTRA (INDIA): Indian state-owned companies, either federal or state, are divided by three prestigious status based on their profit maximization, namely Maharatna, Navratna and Miniratna.
 
Taking account of these statuses, Indian government-owned National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPCL) holds the Maharatna category.
 
NTPCL generated 43,128 megawatts coal-based electricity alone. It produced 232 billion unit of electricity in 2012-2013 fiscal with an average cost of Indian Rs 2.5 per unit. The state-owned company makes a profit of Rs 67,931 crore that year.

They made it possible by using coal efficiently.

US-based influential business magazine Forbes listed NTPCL at the 424th place out of 2000 successful sate-owned business companies around the world.

Besides, India’s power sector is somewhat experiencing a stable situation due to widespread use of coal to generate electricity. Even, India is importing coals from several other countries including Australia and Indonesia for power production.
 
This is what is happening out there in Bangladesh’s neighboring country India whereas the state-owned Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) facing loses ad infinitum.
 
Government has increased the power tariff by several-folds for several times in a bid to incur the losses. But the authorities is still struggling with it and subsidizing the companies. The cause of this nonstop loses is said to be the use the expensive fuel oil to generate electricity.

Even from the inside of government, it is being told that there is no alternative to power production except to go for coal.
 
Barapukuria Coal Mining Company Limited (BCMCL), country’s only coal-based power plant, located in Parbatipur upazila of Dinajpur district. The plant has a capacity to generate some 250 megawatts with an average cost of Tk 3.5 per unit.
 
On the other hand, a unit of electricity, generated from fuel oil, cost a total of Tk 18 in average. Besides, BPDB also produces power by gas. But, this state-owned power plant is not even managing itself to control its loss for using expensive oil-run power plant.
 
Now it is being said that the increase of coal use can mitigate the power crisis. But people of the country have a misconception on the use of coal for power production. In this case, government itself holds the responsibility.

Mixed reaction sparked among the countrymen on Rampal Power Plant, located nearby the world’s largest mangrove forest Sundarbans that triggered controversy inside and outside Bangladesh.
 
There is huge difference between BCMCL and coal-based power plants in India. Management of larger size power plants makes their way easy to go forward.
 
This issue has often been come into mind after visiting the 2,980 megawatts super thermal power plant, namely Rajiv Gandhi Super Thermal Power Station, at Sipat in Bilaspur district in Chhattisgarh and the 3,300 MW Tiroda Super Critical Thermal Power Plant of Adani Power Maharashtra Limited, a subsidiary of Adani Group, in Maharashtra of India.
 
These two plants together are generating electricity as same as Bangladesh produces. The most complex aspect is the coal and ash management, which has been performing very well there.
 
Smoke is seen emitted to the sky with no ashes due to use of electrostatic precipitator (ESP). For this reason, Indians do not usually go against coal-based power plant. And the country has been managing to implement new projects easily.
 
India produces a total of 253,389-MW electricity annually. Of which, 152,310 MW comes from coals only.
 
On the other hand, Bangladesh has been stuck with a production of 250 MW only from coals, which is also gripped by complexities. It becomes normal at BCMCL where ESP often gets out of order. As a result ash flies over the sky through the chimney, making the locals angry over the plant.

The impact appears more when authorities concerned move forward to build a new coal-based power plant. But government can bring positives image among the people on the matter by reforming the Barapukuria power plant.

If it happens people would not bring objections on the increase of using coal to produce power. In this case, Maharatna may not come as NTPCL has but it would not be difficult to make BPDB profitable.

To produce from coal, a unit of electricity cost Tk 3.5 in average in Bangladesh while the price per unit is Tk 6.15. So, PDB can make the profit of thousands of crores of taka, if they use coal to generate electricity.

BDST: 2120 HRS, SEP 25, 2014