Punjab government assures 8-hour power supply to farmers  

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Monday assured farmers of eight hours of power supply every day for the ensuing paddy season, beginning on June 13, while promising 24-hour supply of power to all other categories of consumers.

At a meeting to review the preparations by power companies for supply of power during summer and paddy season, the Chief Minister said his government was committed to the supply of quality power, in addition to 100 per cent cost subsidy for agriculture and free power to various categories of consumers.

The power companies briefed the Chief Minister about the arrangements made for meeting the demand of 14,000 MW even though the demand anticipated by Punjab State Power Corp Ltd (PSPCL) was likely to be 13,500 MW.

The Chief Minister directed the companies to ensure round-the-clock supply during summer and paddy season to all areas of the state.

The officials of the power companies informed the meeting that good level of water in dams would help in good hydro generation from PSPCL's own hydel plants as well as that from BBMB

Coal stock at all the thermals was sufficient for 32 days at Lehra Mohabbat, 48 days at Ropar, 25 days at Rajpura, 14 days at Talwandi and for 22 days at Goindwal Sahib, a government spokesperson told IANS.

Moreover, arrangements had been made for 1,000 MW from own hydro, 1,760 MW from own thermal, 4,580 MW from Central sector, including BBMB, 3,370 MW from IPPs in Punjab, 800 MW from other sources and banking arrangements up to 2,570 MW for the paddy season, Amarinder Singh was told.

The spokesperson said that for FY 2018-19, subsidy of Rs 8,855 crore was given for benefit of 34,52,600 consumers of Punjab and for financial year 2019-20 Rs 9,674 crore subsidy would be given for 37,40,348 consumers.