Give financial package to industry for losses due to power shutdown: Sukhbir to Capt govt

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Wednesday asked the Amarinder Singh-led Congress government to announce a financial package to the state industry for the losses suffered due to the current forced shutdown in the wake of power supply mismanagement

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Wednesday asked the Amarinder Singh-led Congress government to announce a financial package to the state industry for the losses suffered due to the current forced shutdown in the wake of power supply mismanagement.

Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal.

In a press statement, the SAD chief said after suffering huge losses due to the Covid lockdown in the last one-and-a-half years, the industrial sector is under shutdown with the government imposing a three-day compulsory off for units besides closing large-scale industries for five days. “This has broken the back of the state industry which is suffering losses of crores of rupees on a daily basis besides losing orders,” he said.

Claiming that the CM was directly responsible for this mess as he holds the power portfolio, Sukhbir said required electricity purchases should be made immediately to ensure adequate power for the industrial sector.

“Power should also be provided at ₹5 per unit as promised by the chief minister. The industry is currently paying nearly ₹10 per unit,” he said.

The SAD chief called for holding a special Vidhan Sabha session to discuss the complete mismanagement of the state power utility.

“The PSPCL, which was declared as the best power utility in 2015 during the SAD government-led tenure, is now finding it difficult to even supply adequate electricity to consumers. Rampant corruption, mismanagement and the Congress government’s failure to add a single megawatt of power in more than four years has led to a situation where farmers are not getting adequate supply for sowing paddy,” he added.