Patiala, March 16
The Punjab Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, today said it was not
possible to extend the facility of free power for tubewell operations
to farmers of the state, even as the indefinite dharna organised by
farmers on the Mall Road opposite the Punjab State Electricity Board
(PSEB) office here folded up following an assurance by Finance
Minister Lal Singh.
Talking to newsmen here after inaugurating the Senior National Judo
Championship for men and women at the Shahid Tejinderpal Singh Sohal
Indoor Stadium, the Chief Minister said multilateral funding being
given to the state by international agencies would step in, in case
the free power facility was invoked. He said his government was not
prepared for stopping of aid to the state.
Capt Amarinder Singh said his government felt that people of the
state wanted assured electricity and were ready to pay for it. He said
it was due to this reason that the government had decided to ensure
24-hour power besides going in for power reforms. The Chief Minister
also indicated that there was no alternative to power reforms by
lashing out against the PSEB Engineers Association.
He said the engineers were resorting to agitations to stop the
reforms. He said besides this, the association was lobbying with
legislators and MPs. He said in case the association wanted to make a
point, it should represent its case to the government. He, however,
made it clear his government would not “put good money on bad
money” while indicating the state of affairs of the PSEB.
Speaking on the agitation launched by farmers organisations in
Chandigarh and Patiala, he said the organisations should realise that
his government was farmer friendly. He said his government was giving
bonus for the procurement done by the Akali-BJP government, besides
releasing the dues of sugar cane growers. He also indicated that his
government could not meet all demands of the farmers organisations,
saying it would be difficult to run the state if these were met.
