Chandigarh, June 4, 2019 (Yes Punjab News)
Sukhpal Singh Khaira President of Punjab Ekta Party (PEP) today demanded immediate roll back of enhanced power tariff and state government taxes on electricity and also blamed the Capt Amarinder Singh government for over charging the power consumers to set off revenue losses due to fiscal mismanagement.
In a statement here today Khaira said that Punjab State Power Regulatory Authority has fixed power tariff at Rs.6.62 per unit and PSPCL is charging Rs.7.92. After payment of GST and other overhead charges the domestic power costs around Rs.9 per unit to the consumers.
He said that Congress government was not paying the subsidy bill of Rs.5400 crores to PSPCL in lieu of free power supplied to farmers and other categories. He said that power consumers were being forced to pay through their neck for the financial mismanagement of Capt Amarinder Singh government.
Khaira further said that Punjab government was charging about 38 percent taxes and Cess per unit on the electricity cost. Similarly about 28 percent taxes are levied on petrol and diesel. Punjab is charging highest rates in country on power, petrol and diesel.
He said that Capt Amarinder Singh had be fooled the industry by promising power supply at Rs.5 per unit which proved false and actual tariff is double of it.
He said that current increase of 2.40 percent in power tariff was totally illegal and burden on people of state and will benefit private power companies.
Khaira said that Congress party was continuing with the policy of SAD-BJP government to appease the private thermal plants and power suppliers. He said that SAD-BJP government of Parkash Singh Badal had committed a major fraud with the people of Punjab by signing agreements to benefit private thermal plants at Talwandi Sabo and Rajpura.
He added that Congress party had before the assembly elections had promised to cancel the power supply agreements but no such action was taken for vested interests. He said that under these agreements PSPCL was bound to buy costly power from private thermal plants on priority when demand is lower.
It results in closure of public sector thermal plants most of the time which can generate cheap power. He also rued Badal government for ignoring the offer to set up hydro power project in collaboration with Himachal Pradesh Government.
Khaira said that Sukhbir Badal had misled the people of Punjab in the name of surplus power state but he actually forced the people to purchase costly power. Khaira said that PPCC president Sunil Jakhar had made many public statements to probe the scam in signing of power agreements by SAD-BJP government but his party seems to have compromised with the Badal on this count too.
