Power curbs on Punjab industry go

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 12

Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Monday ordered immediate withdrawal of all power regulatory restrictions that were imposed on industries across the state to meet the crisis.

Exporters seek diesel tax waiver

State industry representatives, comprising mostly exporters, have met Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Som Parkash and requested him to waive taxes on diesel under the ARO (advance authorisation) scheme against export orders.

The crisis was triggered by delay in monsoon and an unprecedented surge in demand from both agricultural and domestic sectors.

Reviewing the power situation in the state after the resumption of generation at one of the three non-functional units at Talwandi Sabo Thermal plant, the Chief Minister directed Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) to ease off all regulatory restrictions on industrial consumers with immediate effect. The Chief Minister was informed that the plant at Talwandi Sabo had resumed 660 MW production, improving the power situation in the state.

The decision on the complete withdrawal of the restrictions was taken by the Chief Minister soon after PSPCL announced a similar but partial withdrawal in districts falling in central and border zones. The PSPCL had allowed all industries, except those using continuous power, to operate at full capacity from today.

However, after the Chief Minister’s intervention, all industries across the state, including those using power round the clock (textile, chemicals and spinning mills, etc), can now operate to full capacity. The continuous process industries, which are in central and border zones, were earlier asked to operate at 50 per cent of continuous process load. Nearly 60 per cent of the total industry in the state is in central (Ludhiana, Jagraon, Mandi Gobingarh, etc) and border zones (Amritsar and Pathankot).