During the inauguration of new breakers installed at Jandiala Guru on Saturday, Power Minister Harbhajan Singh has assured the farmers that there would be no interruption in power supply in the coming paddy season. He said that adequate arrangements have been made to provide power to the farmers for the coming paddy season. All preparations have been made to ensure uninterrupted power supply for the transplantation of paddy.
“Due to the rapid rise in temperature, the demand for electricity has also increased and we have supplied an average demand of 6,822 MW during the month of April alone, which is 32 per cent more than last year. Five new breakers and lines of Jandiala Guru and Bandala which have been started today would provide uninterrupted power supply to Gunowal, Bhangwan, Gadali, Janiyan, Nangal Guru, Thathian, Safipur and Bandala villages. The department would continue its efforts to improve the supply”, said the Power Minister.
While talking about the govt’s advisory, he said, “the farmers should adopt the advisory of government to transplant the paddy in phases. With this all other issues such as power shortage, labour shortage and shortage of fertiliser will be solved automatically. The state government had announced to provide 300 units of electricity per month free of cost to all consumers and the facility would start from July 1.”
Recently, on last Friday, the Power Minister had reviewed the coal and power arrangements required for the upcoming paddy season and directed the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) to generate maximum power from all sources and ensure regular supply of power for direct sowing of paddy. Directing PSPCL for increasing manpower to strengthen complaint redressal system and de-loading overloaded grids, lines, and transformers, the Minister asked PSPCL to ensure maximum power generation, and directed the PSPCL to ensure regular power supply to the agriculture sector for direct sowing of rice as per schedule notified by the government. He also appealed to the farmers for adopting direct sowing of paddy asking them to co-operate in saving groundwater by adopting the technique and avail the benefit of subsidy of Rs 1500 per acre being provided by the State Government.
