Chandigarh, Jul 2 (PTI) Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann Sunday said his government is making concerted efforts to make Punjab a power surplus state and promote green, solar and hydropower.
The state government is setting up a 206 MW hydropower project in Pathankot on the Ravi River, Mann also said, adding that this water will also be used judiciously for irrigating fields in Punjab.
In a statement here, Mann said due to the efforts of the state government, canal water reached the tail end in villages, which reduced the burden on tube wells thereby considerably saving electricity and groundwater.
The state government is committed to carving out a ‘rangla’ (vibrant) Punjab for which everyone in the state should play a proactive role.
He also congratulated people on the completion of a year of giving free power (300 units per month) in the state.
The state government on July 1 last year launched the “guarantee” of providing free power to the people.
He said 90 per cent of the households in the state are getting free power and have got zero electricity bills since last July.
Mann also said farmers are getting more than eight hours of power supply without any cuts.
Elated farmers are sharing videos regarding it and expressing gratitude to the Punjab government, he claimed.
Apart from it, the state government paid a subsidy worth Rs 20,200 crore to the power utility Punjab State Power Corporation Limited, the chief minister informed.
“This has not been made possible by taking loans, as done by previous governments, but by checking pilferages and corruption,” he said.
Due to concerted efforts of the state government, the supply of coal from Pachwara coal mine that was stopped has been resumed after 2015, Mann said adding, that earlier governments stalled supply from this coal mine to “mint money illegally” from private thermal plants.
For the first time in the history of the state, Punjab has a coal stock of 43 days whereas the earlier threat of blackout loomed large in the state during earlier regimes,” he said. PTI CHS NB NB
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