Cong blames Sukhbir for power tariff hike

CHANDIGARH: The war of words over the recent power tariff hike has escalated. After Shriomani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal accused Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar of “misleading” people over power purchase agreements (PPAs) while reacting to latter’s allegations against him at a press conference last week, Jakhar demanded a categorical statement from Sukhbir on whether or not he had agreed to the power tariff hike under the Ujwal Discom Assurance Yojana (UDAY).

“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 UDAY tripartite MoU in 2016. He is now misleading people on the issue by claiming to have signed the MoU as per guidelines issued by the then UPA regime,” Jakhar said in a statement.

Referring to the PPAs signed during the Akali-BJP rule with private plants, Jakhar said Sukhbir had failed to explain the difference in fixed charges to be paid to 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 UPA government, as Sukhbir is claiming, then why was the purchase cost from Punjab’s three plants at Talwandi Sabo ₹5.40 per unit, Goindwal ₹8.7 per unit and Rajpura ₹3.8 per unit against ₹1.32 per unit at Sasan plant and Mundra ₹2.20 per unit. The difference lay in the “neeyat” (intention) of Sukhbir and then PM Manmohan Singh,” Jakhar said.