Troubled after the Aam Aadmi Party’s ‘bijli andolan’, Punjab Power, New and Renewable Energy Sources Minister Gurpreet Singh Kangar on Sunday rubbished the “baseless slandering campaign” launched by some “opportunist politically motivated persons” in the state that electricity supply charges are very high and inflated electricity bills are being issued to consumers.

 Categorically declining the charges, Kangar claimed that only “correct and vetted” electricity bills are being issued as per the tariff order issued by Punjab State Regulatory Commission, Chandigarh.

“It is a matter of pride for all of us that today Punjab is self-reliant in power and is providing uninterrupted power to its valuable and esteemed electricity consumers. In addition to supplying free power to agriculture consumers and providing uninterrupted eight-hour supply during paddy season, the State Government has introduced,” he said.

Kangar said that measures, like industry-friendly policies including offering a retail tariff of Rs five per unit to industry and Rs 1.25 per unit rebate on consumption from 10 pm to 6 am (next day) during October 1 to March 31, have yielded good result and more than 10 percent increase in industrial consumption has been recorded during 2018-19 so far.

“As per promise made by the State Government, Rs 6,256 crores subsidy for agriculture consumers, Rs 1440 crores subsidy for industrial consumers and Rs 1253 crores to subsidize SC, Non-SC BPL, Backward Class and Freedom Fighter Domestic Consumers have been provisioned,” said the Minister adding that the total amount for 2018-19 turned out to be Rs 9,000 crores.

The Minister also added that the electricity tariff in Punjab is less than that most of other states. “Vested interests are misrepresenting about tariff of Delhi being far lesser than Punjab whereas facts are totally different,” he said.