Government-owned entities including NVVN, NHPC, SJVN and Power Grid Corporation of India involved in energy trade and partnership with Nepal have increased their budgets.
India has increased the budget of nine government-owned energy-related organizations by about 21 percent. Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has allocated 861 billion 38 crores for the financial year 2025/26 in the budget presented to Parliament on Saturday.
This is 21 percent more than the financial year 2024/25, according to the Indian media, Economics Times. The budget for the financial year 2024/25 was estimated at 672.86 billion baht.
9 state-owned companies including NTPC Vidyut Vyar Nigam (NVVN), National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC), Sutlej Jalvidyut Nigam Limited (SJVN) and Power Grid Corporation of India have spent 712.78 billion baht in the financial year 2024/25. were.
Indian media organizations have reported that NTPC, which is owned by the central government, has been allocated the highest budget. The Government of India has allocated a budget of Rs 260 billion for the financial year 2025/26. While last year 227 billion budget was allocated.
Nepal sells electricity to India and Bangladesh to buy electricity in winter through NVVN. NVVN has also been agreeing to import electricity in winter and approving the names of Nepali hydropower projects to sell electricity in rainy season.
India has also increased the budget of the Power Grid Corporation of India. 250 billion has been allocated in the budget for the financial year 2025/26. In the financial year 2024/25, it was only 122 billion 50 million. Minister Sitharaman has mentioned that the revised estimate for that year is Rs 200 billion. Nepal Electricity Authority of Nepal and India's Power Grid Corporation of India have opened a joint company to build an international transmission line between Nepal and India.
For the Indian company SJVN, which got lower Arun and 900 MW Arun-3, a significant increase has been made compared to the revised budget last year. India has allocated a budget of 120 billion baht for SJVN for the financial year 2025/26. Although 120 billion was allocated in the financial year 2024/25, it was later revised down to 70 billion. For the Indian government company NHPC, which has 750 MW West Seti and 450 MW Seti Nadi-6, 130 billion has been allocated in the financial year 2025/26. Last year, the budget was estimated at 111.93 billion, but later the revised budget was 103.94 billion.
The overall budget of the Indian Ministry of Energy has been increased. In the financial year 2024/25, 205 billion 2 crores have been allocated, 218 billion 47 crores have been allocated for the financial year 2025/26.
The Government of India has also announced the 'Vikasit Bharat' program for nuclear power missions. It is also stated in the budget to amend the Nuclear Energy Act and Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act to increase the nuclear energy capacity. Finance Minister Sitharaman has also said that to increase the nuclear power capacity to 100 gigawatts by 2047 and to fulfill the government's commitment regarding sustainable energy and climate goals, the laws including nuclear energy are going to be amended.
"For the improvement of the energy sector, we encourage the improvement of the electricity distribution system by the states and the increase of inter-state transmission capacity, for this the states will be allowed to take zero.5 percent additional loans," said the finance minister.
