FICO opposes PSPCL move on fixed power charges waived during Covid

Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) is asking the medium supply (MS) and large supply (LS) industrial consumers to deposit the fixed charges on electricity bills which were waived off during the Covid-19 period. The Federation of Industrial and Commercial Organization (FICO) has expressed deep concern over the recent move made by PSPCL, and FICO has urged the Punjab Government and PSPCL to immediately withdraw this demand and issue a clarification that the waived fixed charges during the COVID-19 period would not be recovered under any circumstances.

Gurmeet Singh Kular, president, FICO, said the industry had accepted the waiver as a final relief measure during COVID-19, not a temporary deferment. During the pandemic, industries across Punjab faced an unprecedented crisis, cash flow severely impacted and the overall economy brought to a standstill.

At that time, the state government had granted relief by waiving fixed charges to support industries’ survival and ensure economic stability.

Manjinder Singh Sachdeva, general secretary, FICO, firmly believes that any attempt to recover these waived charges now — after five years — would severely burden the already stressed industrial sector. Punjab’s industry is grappling with rising input costs, global market uncertainties and increasing competition. Asking for repayment at this stage is unjustified, impractical, and against the spirit of the relief provided during a humanitarian and economic emergency.