Amarinder seeks subsidy details from power dept

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 9

Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh has asked officials of Power Department to work out details for giving power subsidy to the agriculture and industrial consumers for this financial year.

The government has to give Rs 7,696 crore subsidy to the PSPCL. A meeting to decide on the government guarantee for the power subsidy was chaired by the CM on Monday.

The government has violated the provisions under Section 65 of the Electricity Act by not fulfilling its guarantee for the past four years. It still owes Rs 4,964.33 crore to the PSPCL. Thus, giving guarantee for this year’s subsidy could be challenged by Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Authority (PSERC).

Sources say the issue was discussed at length and after the details of giving the guarantee is worked out by the Power and Finance Departments, the guarantee would be given to the PSERC.