Cong blames Sukhbir for power tariff hike

CHANDIGARH: The war of words over the recent power tariff hike has escalated. After Shriomani A kali Dal( SAD) pres id en tSuk hbir Singh Bad al accused Punjab Congress president SunilJakh ar of “misleading” people over power purchase agreements (PPAs) while reacting to latter’s allegations against hi mat a press conference last week, Jakhar demanded a categorical statement fromSukhbironwh ether or not he had agreed to the power tariff hike under theUjwalD iscom Assurance Yo jan a( U DAY ).

“Instead of trying to cover up, Sukhbir should admit he agreed to 5% hike in tariff for 2016-17 and 9% for 2017-18 while signing the U DAY tripartite Mo U in 2016. He is now misleading people on the issue by claiming to have signed the Mo U as per guidelines issued by the then UP Aregime,”Jakh ar said in a statement.

Referring to the PPAs signed during the Akali-BJP rule with private plants,Jakh ar saidSuk hb ir had failed to explain the difference in fixed charges to bepaidto firms in case of plants installed during his government’s rule in Punjab and those set up under UPA government. “If the state was following the same guidelines as issued by the UP A government, as Sukhb iris claiming, then why was the purchase cost from Punjab’ s three plants at T alwand iS a bo ₹5.40 per unit, Go indw al ₹8.7 per unit and Raj pu ra ₹3.8 per unit against ₹1.32 per unit at S as an plant and Mun dr a ₹2.20 per unit. The difference lay in the “neeyat” (intention) of Sukhbir and then PM Man mo han Singh ,” Jakhar said.