‘Thrifty’ Manpreet availing power subsidy

Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Muktsar, October 20

Even as Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh has made an appeal to affluent farmers to give up power subsidy, Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal is availing it on two tubewell connections at his native Badal village.

This is in contrast to the minister’s initiatives to cut expenses. In one such move, he has stopped offering tea to visitors to his office.

Besides, former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, his deceased wife Surinder Kaur Badal and former Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal are also getting free power supply on one tubewell connection each in the village.

In reply to an RTI query, the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) authorities have informed that there are 225 AP connections at Badal village and none of them has given up the subsidy till date.

Bhajnit Sharma, Sub-divisional Officer (SDO), Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL), Badal, said: “Two free tubewell power connections are in the name of Manpreet Singh Badal and one each in the name of Parkash Singh Badal, Sukhbir Singh Badal and Surinder Kaur Badal. The exact amount of subsidy availed is not available, but it can be calculated using a formula.”

Sources claimed that the total amount of power subsidy availed by Manpreet since 2007 would be nearly Rs12-15 lakh.