Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu on Wednesday issued another series of tweets – this time claiming that the power minister cannot do much as most of the powers are with the chief minister.
The former cabinet minister, who is currently embroiled in a tussle with Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, said he spent two years preparing the Punjab model.
“Now, the big question – can the Punjab Power, New and Renewable Energy Minister do this? Not even 1%. All the decision making powers are with the PSERC which reports directly to the CM. Thus, I invested my time in the Punjab model to find a way to return the power of the people back to the people,” he tweeted.
Hitting out at Badal and the Delhi model alike, Sidhu wrote: “Politics without policy work is only negative propaganda and politicians without pro-people agenda are here just for business!! Thus, politics without development has no meaning to me… Today, I emphasize again that we need a Punjab model for the development of Punjab.
He said, ‘I won’t blame Badal for not having any vision because I know he doesn’t! Today solar power is Rs 1.99 per unit, with other benefits like renewable, available onsite (solar tube-well) etc. But the faulty PPA signed by Badal has tied Punjab with very high paying thermal power for decades,” he continued.
“No Delhi model! Delhi does not generate its own electricity and distribution is in the hands of Reliance and Tata. Whereas, Punjab generates 25% of its electricity itself and distributes it through state-owned corps, providing employment to thousands of people. Delhi model means bigger private companies than Badal.
He said that Punjab gives electricity subsidy of 10% of its budget (Rs 10,668 crore) but Delhi gives 4% (Rs 3,080 crore) of its budget. Apart from agriculture, Punjab gives 200 units completely free to 15 lakh families (SC, BC and BPL), but Delhi charges 50% < 400 and all above 400 units full bill."
“Delhi does not provide free electricity to farmers and domestic subsidies are given by heavy burden industry and commercial sector. Punjab model means cancellation of faulty PPAs, generation and procurement of affordable/sustainable power, reduction in transmission cost to deliver subsidized power for all,” he said in another tweet.
Last week, Sidhu listed several reasons which he said were causing Punjab’s power crisis. “Punjab has to pay more than other states due to the high dependence of Rs 5-8 per unit on 3 private thermal plants of Punjab,” he had tweeted.
He said, “The Badal government had signed PPAs with 3 private thermal power plants in Punjab. As of 2020, Punjab has already paid Rs 5,400 crore due to faulty clauses in these agreements and it is expected that Rs 65,000 crore of the money of the people of Punjab will be paid as fixed charges. Urging the government to bring in a law to declare the agreements invalid, the senior Congress leader had said, “The Punjab Assembly will at any time have a new law to cap the power purchase cost at the prices available on the National Power Exchange with retrospective effect.” can bring Time.”
He had also accused the state government of giving “undue and excessive benefits to private thermal plants”.
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