Ludhiana : Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on Tuesday accused Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi. Accusingly he said that Channi is trying to befool people in the same way as Captain Amarinder Singh did. He is making ‘false promises’ and won’t fulfil any of them.
Addressing a press conference in Ludhiana, the SAD leader said, “The chief minister is indulging in political stunts just to garner votes. Channi admitted to this yesterday by saying that he only wanted consumers to get one power bill with reduced tariff. Even (Punjab Congress president) Navjot Singh Sidhu has exposed his own government saying sops were being given only for two months.”
Sukhbir said Channi failed to tell how he would make good on his promise when his government’s corruption and mismanagement have virtually bankrupted the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL).
Asserting that the state government did not have any roadmap to meet the financial requirements of the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL)., the Akali leader said the “mismanagement” would result in the closure of thermal plants, disruption of coal supply and inability to disburse salaries to employees.
“He is trying to befool people in the same manner as his predecessor Amarinder Singh did,” the SAD chief said.
He said the state government owed the Punjab State Power Corporation a subsidy of Rs 4,500 crore and its departments owed it Rs 2,231 crore.
“If you take all subsidies into account including Rs 3300 crore due to the latest announcement and bills that have been waived the subsidy bill will come to Rs 13,934 crores,” he said.
If the state government intended to cancel power purchase agreements (PPAs) with private thermal plants it should come out with an executive order instead of mere resolutions which would achieve nothing, he claimed.
“The government should take into account the scenario of facing penalty of around ₹10,000 crore which it would have to pay if it scraps the agreements. Also, executive decisions should also be taken not to implement the three farm laws and refuse extension of the BSF jurisdiction in Punjab,” he added.
Sukhbir said if the CM really feels for people, he can easily reduce the prices of petrol and diesel by bringing down the tax component.
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