Kangar scraps tubewell connection policy of SAD-BJP
PATIALA: Accusing the Shiromani Akali Dal for using the power corporation for vested political interests, power minister Gurpreet Singh Kangar has scrapped the policy on agriculture tubewell connection. Under this policy, brought in just before the 2017 assembly elections, the previous Akali-bjp regime had sanctioned 2.5 lakh connections.
“The policy was skewed and was not in the interest of farmers and the state. I am concerned about the depleting ground water level; at the same time, I am also concerned for small and marginal farmers,” Kangar said, presiding over the Van Mahostav Day.
“This policy was not financially viable for small farmers, and many of them didn’t take the connection, as the cost was too high. It was meant for political mileage only by giving 2.5 lakh letters of connection. Of these, only few thousand actually got connection,” said Kangar.
He added that the government would bring in a policy in which two marginal farmers could make a joint application for tubewell connection and small land holdings.
Praising the Power Corporation management for providing supply without power cuts these summers, Kangar added transparency had brought in efficiency to the utility’s functioning. “If needed, the PSPCL will restart the closed units of Ropar Thermal plant to meet rising demand,” he added.
Kangar exhorted people to plant at least five trees to save Punjab from pollution. “PSPCL is going to play a significant role in the Tandustrant Punjab Mission by planting 50,000 trees across offices of PSPCL,” he added.
Chairman and managing director, PSPCL, said, “The PSPCL is providing daily 8-hour uninterrupted power supply to agriculture consumers and to all other categories. No power cuts have been imposed in the state.”
Sran said due to lower levels of rain, the water level of the BBMB, Pong Dam and Ranjit Sagar dams had dipped ‘very low’, resulting in 200MW less generation. He added overall shortage was 400MW with the corporation meeting the requirement by arranging power from all available sources.