Punjab´s free power bill is Rs.40,538 cr
The Punjab government has spent Rs.40,538 crore in providing free power to farmers and other beneficiaries since 2002-03. The power subsidy allotted to Punjab under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) in 2002-03 was Rs.950 crore, which went up to 5,908.75 crore in 2015-16.
In the past 13 years, Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission (PSERC) has approved a subsidy of of `44,698.86 crore, and the government paid Rs.40,538.58 crore towards it. The government´s free power scheme is being condemned by industrialists and economists who are raising concerns about the impact it can have on the state´s finances.
Contact: Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission
Tel: +91-172-2645164, 65, 66
Website: http://www.pserc.nic.in/