Partap Singh Bajwa attacks CM Bhagwant Mann for losing Reliance solar project
Chandigarh, March 5
Since the power is going to cost dear to the government in the coming weeks as the Centre has toughened the guidelines, Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Partap Singh Bajwa on Sunday reprimanded the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann-led Aam Aadmi Party government for its failure to get a renewable solar energy plant in the state.
10gw project goes to Andhra
Reliance Industries chairman and managing director Mukesh Ambani announced on Saturday that his group would invest in 10 gigawatts of renewable solar energy in Andhra Pradesh
Senior Congress leader Bajwa said Reliance Industries chairman and managing director Mukesh Ambani announced yesterday that his group would invest in 10 gigawatts of renewable solar energy in Andhra Pradesh. The group is investing Rs 40,000 crore for the rollout of an ultra-high speed 5G telephony network in the state.
“Renewable solar energy is an environment-friendly alternative and the future will depend on this. CM Mann had held an Invest Punjab Summit. It would have been a breakthrough step had the AAP government managed to strike such a deal,” Bajwa said, adding that if Andhra Pradesh could, why couldn’t Punjab? After all, Punjab has all resources, including barren land and rivers.
Moreover, the power demand is set to rise during the paddy transplant season in the state. Rural areas in some districts have already been experiencing undeclared power cuts. Meanwhile, with the new norms, which will come into effect next month, power would cost Punjab dear. It is going to be as expensive as Rs 12 per unit.
The cost of power has already increased as of now and 90 per cent of domestic and almost all agriculture consumers are availing of power subsidies.
“As per some reports, the average market price for power purchase in 2021-22 was Rs 4.62 per unit, it rose to Rs 6.32 per unit in Jan 2023, and in February, power was purchased at Rs 7.20 per unit. In such circumstances, the fund-starved Punjab will be left with no other choice except to purchase power at expensive prices,” Bajwa added.
