Efforts are claimed to be made on a large scale to resolve the electricity shortage in Punjab, but Punjab has not yet become self-reliant in electricity production. Special arrangements are made for summers.
The government sets separate dates for rice crop planting to avoid an increased electricity load during this period, ensuring that farmers get electricity according to their needs. Similarly, changes were made in government offices’ timings last year to reduce electricity demand during summers.
In the budget for the fiscal year 2024-25, the government has allocated Rs 7780 crore for providing 300 units of free electricity. Additionally, Rs 9300 crore has been allocated to provide free electricity to farmers. Recently, the government also purchased a thermal power plant with a capacity of 540 MW in Gobindwal Sahib to increase power capacity, but these measures are not ending the electricity shortage problem.
According to Powercom’s estimates, this summer’s electricity demand is expected to exceed 16000 MW. As a result, the load will also increase. Punjab’s current electricity system is not capable of handling such a load, so people will have to face power cuts.
It should be noted that after the facility of 300 free units of electricity, theft has also increased. Multiple connections have been taken in the same house to avail free electricity. In many cases, meter readings are reduced to keep the bill below 600 units for two months. Some meter readers under the lure of money manipulate meter readings, deceiving Powercom and the government. Due to this, Powercom had taken action against about 45 meter readers in 2023-24.
However, Powercom occasionally conducts checking campaigns to catch electricity thieves and imposes fines on them. The highest cases of electricity theft are occurring in border areas. The Bhikhiwind and Patti divisions of the Tarn Taran circle are at the forefront of this issue. Similarly, power theft is more in Bathinda, Ferozepur, and Sri Muktsar Sahib circles in the West Zone. There are 17 feeders here where the loss is between 50 to 60 percent. The number of feeders with losses increased from 362 to 414 in the fiscal year 2023-24. Due to the lack of a backup plan, people often have to face the problem of electricity shortages. In previous summers, people had to face many problems after heavy rains and storms. Sometimes, there is no electricity supply for the whole day.
Future Challenges
Former General Secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Punjab, Jiwan Gupta said that summers have started, and people are still facing power cuts. This gives an idea of what the situation will be like in the coming days. He said that in the next two months, the demand for electricity will be at its peak, but the government is not prepared for it, indicating that people should be prepared to face electricity shortages.
He said that the government is making big claims but is not taking concrete steps to provide basic facilities. If the needs of the agricultural sector are met, industries face power cuts. Similarly, if industries need to be supplied, other sectors face cuts. This situation has been going on in Punjab for the past few years.
He said that the government is completely failing to meet people’s electricity demand. He said that electricity rates have been silently increased over the past few years, putting an additional burden on people. The current government should make public a report comparing the subsidies given by the previous governments to make the truth clear to the people.
Balbir Singh Rajewal, the head of the United Farmers Front, said that farmers need uninterrupted electricity supply during rice crop planting, but the government is failing to provide it. He said that if diesel costs ₹100 per liter for farmers to plant crops, how will they be benefitted? The grains being produced now will meet the demand for some time, but a serious crisis is going to emerge by 2030. The world will run out of grains, and the government is not taking solid steps to deal with this situation.
Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said that guaranteeing 300 units of free electricity to everyone was fulfilled by our government within a few months of coming to power, under which more than 90% of homes in Punjab receive zero electricity bills. The state government has purchased private thermal power plants to provide uninterrupted electricity supply to people during summers. In addition, efforts have been made to strengthen the basic electricity infrastructure. Several important works are underway, including the construction of a new 400 kV substation in Ropar, strengthening substations in Dhanaula, Behman Jassa Singh, and starting a 220 kV substation in Ludhiana soon. The government has also recruited new staff to strengthen power stations.