Nagpur: Maharashtra government on October 5 said it was ready to buy power from Dabhol Power Company (DPC) at a rate of Rs 2.77 per unit and the state Cabinet would soon finalise the deal.

Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal said in Nagpur, "the Democratic Front (DF) government will finalise the power purchase agreement to buy DPC's power, as its 2,184 mega watt plant was lying idle, as the state needs to overcome a severe power shortage and load shedding by Maharashtra State Electricity Board (MSEB)".

He said negotiations were on with national thermal power corporation (NTPC) to operate the plant.

Bhujbal supported Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar's view that electricity produced by hydro-electric plants should be given on priority to farmers, as water meant for irrigation was being diverted to hydel projects.

Referring to curtailment of powers of Minister of state for Co-operation Babasaheb Kupekar by Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, Bhujbal in reply to a query said some ministers of state of Congress and NCP were denied free hand by Cabinet ministers.

PTI