New Delhi, Oct 15 Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday said Punjab would face no power shortage as the Centre has assured uninterrupted power and coal supplies.
The claim was made after Mann met Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar here and demanded uninterrupted supply of coal and power to the state.
Emphasising that Punjab is supplying 180 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of rice to the central pool this year, the chief minister stressed that reliable electricity is essential for the state to sustain its contribution to the nation’s food reserves.
Mann also raised concerns over repeated NGT (National Green Tribunal) notices concerning the Shahpur Kandi Dam and said the state government is in touch with Coal India and the Jharkhand government to ensure uninterrupted coal supplies.
“Today, I held an important meeting with Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar Ji and had a constructive discussion on issues concerning the uninterrupted supply of electricity and coal to Punjab. We apprised the Centre that Punjab contributes 180 lakh metric tonnes of rice to the national food pool, and uninterrupted power supply is essential to sustain this contribution.
“I am pleased that the minister has accepted almost all our demands and assured us of an uninterrupted supply of electricity and coal. We, in turn, reaffirmed our commitment that Punjab will continue to make a significant contribution to the nation’s food reserves,” Mann said, according to a press release issued by his office.
After the meeting, the CM said, “Several issues concerning PSPCL (Punjab State Power Corporation Limited), particularly coal supply and electricity, were discussed during the meeting. Our objective is to ensure that Punjab faces no shortage of coal or electricity and that power generation continues without disruption. Punjab supplies 180 lakh metric tonnes of rice to the Central Pool, and uninterrupted electricity is essential for producing such a huge quantity of foodgrain.”
The chief minister said the state has also been in touch with Coal India and the Jharkhand government regarding coal supplies from the Pachhwara coal mines.
“Our priority is to ensure that coal supplies remain uninterrupted so that Punjab can continue generating electricity without any disruption. I am pleased that the Union power minister has assured us of adequate and continuous supplies of electricity and coal. We have also assured the Centre that Punjab will continue to make a significant contribution towards meeting the country’s foodgrain requirements,” he said.
Mann said he has invited the power minister to visit the Ranjit Sagar and Shahpur Kandi dam projects in Punjab. Once a dam is constructed, the state should not have to face repeated notices from environmental authorities or the National Green Tribunal (NGT), he said, adding that they receive one notice or another almost every year concerning the ongoing project, which creates unnecessary difficulties.
“Punjab contributes around 40 per cent of the country’s hydropower generation. We discussed these issues with the Union power minister because the smooth functioning and development of our hydropower projects are important for the state as well as the country.”
Responding to questions about the Bargari and Behbal Kalan incidents, Mann said, “When these incidents took place, previous governments were in power. The Congress government that came afterwards also weakened the cases to such an extent that we now have to rebuild them. In the coming days, we will present challans by bringing in new witnesses and adopting a fresh approach so that these cases can be strengthened.”
Mann also lamented that he has not been given permission by the Centre to travel abroad.
“It is unfortunate that permission to travel for Punjab’s interests is not being granted, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi keeps visiting countries whose names we have hardly even heard of. A chief minister seeking to represent the state, attract investment and create employment opportunities should be able to undertake such visits in the interest of the people.”
“I have now approached the court and hope that permission will be granted tomorrow. We want to travel only for Punjab’s betterment, attract investors to the state and encourage them to establish businesses here. This will generate employment opportunities for the people of Punjab, particularly our young men and women,” he said, adding that he has been invited to Paris to attend a food festival, as well as to Japan.
(PTI News)
