New Delhi, July 5, 2021 (Yes Punjab News)
Former PPCC President and Congress Rajya Sabha Member Partap Singh Bajwa has questioned his own party’s government in the state for not scrapping or re-negotiating the Power Purchase Agreements signed with Private Power Players.
In a press release issued here today, Bajwa said “The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) allowed BSES, a power distribution company in Delhi, to renegotiate its Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with the NTPC – Dadri power plant on July 1st, 2021. Similarly, the Government of Uttar Pradesh has also in the past successfully renegotiated signed PPAs. Why is it that concrete steps have not been taken till date to do the same in Punjab?”
Bajwa said the Government of Punjab must renegotiate these agreements immediately to stop the continued organised loot of the State Exchequer.
The Congress leader said that there has been a valid precedent and yet after four years of governing the State, the PPA’s signed by the SAD-BJP Government are still enforced even as these agreements have caused irreparable financial burden to the State.
Bajwa pointed out that the same officers who negotiated these anti-Punjab PPAs on behalf of the previous Government were still holding important positions in the present dispensation. It must be mentioned here that these individuals can create a roadblock for any long-term change to the status quo.
The Congress leader recalled that in March 2020, the Chief Minister had carried a draft of the white paper on the PPAs to the Vidhan Sabha and announced to the House that the document was ready but needed a little more work. The fact is that 16 months after the fact, no such white paper laying bare the complete situation has been released till date, he said.
He said, that furthermore, the Congress Party has already sought to ensure 200 units of free power to every household. It would be ideal if this policy is implemented and increased to 300 units of free power.
Bajwa said, “The Government of Punjab has had four years to revolutionise the power sector in the State and improve its functioning for the common man. The State Government should focus on promoting the creation of new renewable energy infrastructure like solar power. Such a forward thinking policy could reduce the power subsidy to nil, while ensuring greener and cleaner power to the State.”
The Rajya Sabha MP has urged the Chief Minister to stand firm and take strong steps to remedy the present situation.
Bajwa said Punjab was in a unique position today where it could become the nation’s leading State for innovative, environmentally modern solutions to legacy problems. With the right steps and strong political will, the present Government can put Punjab on the path to leading the nation in the long-run, he said.
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