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Punjab power tariff: Extend special assembly session to scrap PPAs, says Sidhu
Chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh has convened a day’s special assembly session on September 3 to commemorate the 400th Parkash Purb of Guru Teg Bahadur
Stepping up pressure on the Capt Amarinder Singh government for scrapping power purchase agreements, Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu on Monday demanded the extension of the Vidhan Sabha session to bring a legislation to terminate PPAs for providing relief to consumers from the high power tariff.
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His demand comes as the Congress government in the state has convened a day-long special session on September 3 to commemorate the 400th Parkash Purb of Guru Tegh Bahadur. At present, there is no other legislation listed for the session.
Direct PSERC to revise tariff, govt urged
Sidhu posted a video on social media, seeking the extension of one-day Vidhan Sabha session to five to seven days to pass a legislation to terminate the PPAs. He said that the one-day session is not enough to take up issues concerning the public. The PPA scrapping issue is a part of the 18-point agenda of the party high command, he said, adding that he has raised it before the chief minister.
“The Punjab government must immediately issue directions to the Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission (PSERC) in public interest to revise tariff being paid to private power plants, making the faulty PPAs null and void. Further calling a 5-7 day Vidhan Sabha session to bring a new legislation for termination of faulty PPAs,” said Sidhu, while posting the video.
On lines of terminating river-sharing pact
He said that just as the assembly had passed the Punjab Termination of Agreements Act in 2004 on river water sharing with Haryana, the Vidhan Sabha should pass the legislation to bring down the power tariff.
“We are already paying ₹10,000 crore subsidy but still have scope for reducing power prices by amending faulty PPAs. This will help the government give free units to general category consumers and also bring down the power tariff to ₹5 per unit,” he said.
“This will help the Punjab government give 300 units of free power to all domestic consumers, including the general category, decrease domestic tariff to ₹3 per unit and ₹5 per unit for industry, along with the redressal of all outstanding bills, and waiving of unjustifiable and exorbitant bills,” he said.
After Sidhu raised the power tariff issue and need to terminate PPAs, the chief minister asked the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) and the power department to initiate the process to scrap the faulty PPAs.
