Aam Aadmi Party's State Chief Spokesperson, MLA and former Minister S. Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal held a high-level meeting with senior Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) officials at the historic town of Ramdass to review measures aimed at further improving uninterrupted power supply to domestic consumers, commercial establishments and agricultural tubewells in the Ajnala Assembly constituency and to strengthen the power infrastructure.
The meeting was attended by Border Range Chief Engineer Surinder Singh Bains, Superintending Engineer Balkar Singh, Additional Superintending Engineer-cum-XEN of Ajnala Division Er. Anish Singh, along with other local PSPCL officials.
Speaking after the meeting, Dhaliwal said that Punjab Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann has sanctioned an additional ₹25 crore for power sector improvements in Ajnala constituency, over and above the substantial funds already released earlier.
He said that during the high-powered meeting, a detailed action plan was prepared to utilize these funds for strengthening the power infrastructure in the jurisdictions of the Ajnala, Ramdass, Gaggomahal, Chak Dogran and Jhander power subdivisions.
The plan includes modernization of grids, replacement of poles, repair of sagging wires and other infrastructure works aimed at improving voltage and overall power supply. Besides this, the officials reviewed measures to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply in both urban and rural areas under the Ramdass subdivision.
The meeting also examined the proposal to increase the height of electricity poles to 11 metres to prevent accidents caused by low poles and hanging wires. Dhaliwal said that clear directions had been issued to ensure transparency in the utilization of these funds.
Officials were instructed to maintain uninterrupted power supply for agricultural tubewells during the ongoing sowing season, especially for paddy transplantation, while simultaneously ensuring regular electricity supply to domestic and commercial consumers.
He further directed that immediate action be taken in the event of damage or burning of transformers serving agricultural tubewells. He alleged that previous governments belonging to traditional political parties had misled electricity consumers in the name of public welfare.
In contrast, the government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann has provided 600 units of free electricity without any conditions to consumers. He added that the government purchased the private thermal power plant at Goindwal Sahib at a cost of ₹1,100 crore and dedicated it to the people.
He also stated that by reviving the previously closed coal mine in Jharkhand and plugging avenues of alleged exploitation of Punjab's resources, the government had generated savings which were being invested in revolutionary improvements in the power sector.
Dhaliwal further stated that apart from free electricity, the Mann government has introduced several welfare measures, including free health insurance cover of ₹10 lakh, free treatment through Aam Aadmi Clinics, free kits containing tea, sugar, salt, pulses, edible oil and other essential commodities for 40 lakh families under the Meri Rasoi scheme, monthly financial assistance of ₹1,000 to women belonging to the general category and ₹1,500 per month to women from the Scheduled Caste category.
He asserted that through its politics of welfare, development and employment, the Mann government would once again secure the mandate of the people and return to power in the next Assembly elections.