Provide power to Punjab from central plants on long-term basis, Centre told

The Punjab Government on Thursday strongly presented the case of the state related to power and urban development in front of the Centre. The Punjab delegation led by Housing and Urban Development Minister Hardip Singh Mundian, Power Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO and Local Government Minister Dr Ravjot Singh met Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar here today at Punjab Bhawan and flagged demands based on facts.

The Union Minister assured the delegation that the Centre would sympathetically look into the case of Punjab.

During a meeting of the coordination committee of the power and housing development departments, Punjab Cabinet Ministers said that the state government is implementing various development projects in the state. The demands pending with the Centre related to both departments should be fulfilled soon.

Punjab has placed a demand before the Centre that the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) should change the rules revised in 2022, maintaining the tradition of appointing member power from Punjab. Punjab said that according to the new conditions, no candidate would qualify from the state.

Similarly, Punjab asserted its full right to the Shanan project located in Himachal Pradesh and said that under the Punjab Reorganization Act, it is the right of Punjab.

Seeing the need for more electricity and the limited capacity of Punjab’s hydel and thermal power projects, Punjab has demanded that power be provided to Punjab from central plants on a long-term basis.

During the meeting, Punjab demanded increase in the capacity of subsidised solar pumps for agriculture to at least 15 horsepower to promote solar energy.

Permission to transfer coal from mines in Punjab to private thermal plants i.e. Talwandi Sabo and Nabha in the state was also sought. To promote renewable energy, a reduction in trade margin of seven paise per unit was demanded.

The Punjab delegation also demanded to extend the time limit in the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) as the scheme started late in Punjab. Subsidies were sought on the lines of biogas plants to the plots set up to generate electricity from paddy straw. Similarly, a demand was also made to increase the capacity of solar projects installed on rooftops.

Similarly, during the discussion related to urban development, Punjab demanded extension of the deadline for the Sultanpur Lodhi Smart City project. Punjab had argued that the project was allotted later than the other three smart city projects. So its deadline should be extended by at least two years from March 31, 2025.

Similarly, to give a boost to pollution-free vehicles and public transport systems, areas of Punjab like Mohali-Zirakpur connected to Chandigarh should also be made a cluster and included in the e-bus service project.

Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar gave in-principle consent to the many demands of Punjab and assured to approach those with a positive attitude.