Patel was speaking at a conference on ``Karnataka power investment'' organised by the Karnataka Power Corporation Ltd (KPCL) here on Friday. Commenting on the visits of Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu to Bangalore scouting for investment in his state, the minister said that Karnataka cannot be run like Andhra Pradesh. He further said that Karnataka did not need lessons in governance from any other state and could manage its own affairs. Speaking on the occasion, KPCL managing director K Jairaj said the objective of the conference is to put forth the new projects to be taken up by KPCL during 1999-2003 and also to finalise their funding patterns.

Apart from appraising financiers about the progress made at the Raichur Thermal Power Station (RTPS)five and six, new projects such as unit seven of RTPS, Vijaynagar thermal power station, Tattihalla augmentation scheme, Bidadi combined cycle project, MGHE tailrace hydel scheme and Electronic City joint venture were presented for eliciting financial commitments from bankers and financial institutions. The estimated cost of the Vijaynagar thermal plant is Rs 1,796 crore, that of the Bidadi project Rs 650 crore and the RTPS seventh unit Rs 520 crore. Highlighting the performance of KPCL, Jairaj further said the corporation's hydro generation has increased by 53 per cent over the previous year from 6,739 mu to 10,350 mu, thermal generation has increased by 7.5 per cent from 5,152 mu to 5,538 mu and the total generation has gone up by 33 per cent from 11,891 mu to 15,888 mu. The corporation has recorded a net profit of Rs 138 crore during 1997-98. Most bankers present at the meeting, including Canara Bank chairman TR Sridharan, Vijaya Bank chairman V Leeladhar, State Bank of Mysore managing director SR Iyer andIFCI executive director Tapan Ganguly, pledged their support to the corporation.