MSEB will provide continuous and uninterrupted power supply to all industries situated in the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation-run industrial estates in the state from January 1, state energy minister Gopinath Munde said on Saturday.

Munde told reporters on his 49th birthday that district and urban banks from Pune (Rs 100 crore), Nagpur (Rs 100 crore), Raigad (Rs 100 crore), Solapur (Rs 50 crore), Jalgaon (Rs 50 crore) and Kolhapur (Rs 100 crore) have come forward to provide 10-year loans for this purpose. "The objective is to provide uninterrupted power supply on the lines of Mumbai to all 30 districts in next three years," he added.

Munde said that it was his birthday sankalp (desire) to strengthen the state's power distribution system which would give a further boost to attract investment in Maharashtra.The list of districts include Thane, Raigad, Pune, Sangli, Nashik, Jalgaon, Aurangabad, Nanded, Beed, Nagpur, Bhandara, Akola, Parbhani, Kolhapur and Amravati.

"MSEB, which had recently raised Rs 270 crore and Rs 500 crore from two separate bond issues, has decided to allocate the latter amount wholly for strengthening its distribution network," he said.

Munde admitted that owing to an inadequate power distribution system, MSEB could not provide continuous power, especially, to industries. He said that commissioning of the 500kv Padgha-Chandrapur line, which will be operational shortly, will improve the distribution system. Munde said that Dabhol Power Company was conducting trials for the generation of 740mw at its plant and that power to the MSEB grid will be available on January 1 and 15 next year.