* No regular chairman in the power corporation; the Chief Minister and Power Minister are abroad, leaving Punjab without leadership
* People are suffering; businesses and industries are being severely affected
* Cheap electricity is available during the day, but the government is buying expensive power at night, increasing the financial burden on the power corporation
Chandigarh, April 23: Bharatiya Janata Party’s Punjab president, Sunil Jakhar, has termed the power cuts imposed by the AAP government in Punjab during extreme summer—under the pretext of maintenance of power infrastructure—as gross mismanagement. He said that on one hand, the electricity board does not have a regular chairman, and on the other, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and the Power Minister have left Punjab “leaderless” and are on foreign visits in the name of attracting investment, while the state is forced to endure intense heat.
In a message shared on social media, he wrote:
“Andher Nagari, Chaupat Raja! Now that summer has arrived, electricity across Punjab has been shut down in the name of maintenance. Couldn’t this work have been done in February or March? When the power corporation doesn’t even have a regular chairman, who is making decisions? Despite the availability of solar power—when electricity is cheaper during the day—power is not being supplied to people. From daily life to businesses and industries, everyone is troubled by these power cuts under the AAP government. The Chief Minister is on a foreign tour. Is this the governance model of your party, Bhagwant Mann?”
Jakhar further said that such major repair work has never been scheduled during peak summer before. He added that the board’s chairman should be a technocrat with subject expertise, but the government has appointed a favored IAS officer who holds multiple additional charges and does not even regularly attend the Patiala office. Decision-making in the power corporation has stalled, as overall control is allegedly being exercised from Delhi through the minister. As a result, the people of Punjab are bearing the consequences of this mismanagement.
He also pointed out that during the daytime, when cheaper electricity is available due to solar power, supply is being cut off. This is impacting every citizen as well as businesses and industries. He stated that electricity costs around ₹1.50–₹2 per unit during the day, whereas the same power has to be purchased at around ₹10 per unit at night. With power cuts during the day, industries are forced to operate at night, increasing both operational costs and the financial burden on the power corporation.
He added that due to these power cuts, even privately installed solar units are unable to generate electricity effectively, as they are connected to the grid.
Jakhar said that while the people of Punjab are tolerating this situation, they are taking note of the government’s actions and will remember them at the time of voting. He urged the Chief Minister to pay attention to the people of Punjab and suggested that the government appoint a senior technocrat as chairman of the power corporation and ensure a regular power supply.
