Free Power without cuts

Power Revolution

Author

Phanivikranth Kaja
February 22, 2024

Free Power without cuts: 300 Units Free per month

Update till: 24 Jan 2024

Punjab Govt formed on : 16 March 2022
Free Power started on :  1st July 2023 (Within 3 months of coming to power)

RIGHT To Lifeline POWER[1]

  • 300 Units per month free in Punjab

  • Total 600 Units for 2 month bill cycle Free in Punjab

Automatic Subsidy: No Applications, No calculations

Universal, for All: No Caste certificates, No income certificates

Even General Class benefits: First time in India

IMPACT

97+% Families in Punjab got ZERO bills in Dec 2023[2]

Month

Zero Billed

Subsidy Benefited[3]

April 2023

90+%

97.7%

May 2023

86.4%

97.1%

June 2023

78.1%

96.7%

July 2023

68.4%

96%

Aug 2023

61.8%

95.7%

Sept 2023

60.9%

95.6%

Oct 2023

73.7.9%

96.2%

Nov 2023

87.1%

97.5%

Dec 2023[2:1]

97+%

-

Still power surplus, No Power cuts

  • Highest ever 15325 MW demand met in Punjab on 23 June 2023, without power cuts[4][5]

    • Last year the maximum power demand in Punjab was 14311 MW[5:1]

  • PSPCL sets new record of 3435 Lakh units power supply in a day on June 24 2023[5:2]

    • This is 91 lakh units more than the previous year's record[5:3]

  • PSPCL sells ‘surplus’ power worth 280 crores even in June, peak month of the year[6]

Electricity for Farmer

Did Punjab Govt make subsidy payments?[7]

  • Yes, All subsidy payments of 20,000 crores made by govt already

  • Also paying pending dues 9000 crore of previous congress government to PSPCL in installments[8]

Party in Power[8:1]

Time in Power

Unpaid Power Subsidy

AAP

2022-Now

Rs 7216 crores (1804 crores paid every year)

Congress

2017-2022

Rs 9020 crores

Akali

2012-2017

Rs 2342 crores

During Congress rule(2021)

  • Industry used to be shut down due to power shortage[9]

  • Govt Offices cut work hours amid power shortage[10]

  • And let's not even mention powercuts for both Urban & Rural areas[11]

References:

  1. https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/chandigarh-news/80-consumers-benefitted-from-aap-s-free-power-scheme-punjab-minister-101659638681835.html ↩︎

  2. https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/power-debt-piling-up-in-punjab-97-getting-subsidy-this-winter-579756 ↩︎ ↩︎

  3. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/105974526.cms ↩︎

  4. https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/chandigarh/pspcl-meets-record-demand-without-power-cuts-8681800/ ↩︎

  5. https://www.babushahi.com/full-news.php?id=167033&headline=PSPCL-sets-new-record-of-3435-LU-power-supply-in-a-day ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎

  6. https://www.punjabnewsexpress.com/punjab/news/pspcl-sells-‘surplus-power-worth-280-crores-in-june-213293 ↩︎

  7. https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/govt-clears-20k-crore-subsidy-bill-of-pspcl-494888 ↩︎

  8. https://www.babushahi.com/full-news.php?id=173664 ↩︎ ↩︎

  9. https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/punjab-tells-large-industries-to-shut-operations-till-july-10-to-overcome-power-shortage-279036 ↩︎

  10. https://www.indiatoday.in/india/punjab/story/punjab-govt-offices-major-power-crisis-electricity-1822877-2021-07-02 ↩︎

  11. https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/chandigarh/punjab-power-problem-for-capt-govt-7374814/ ↩︎