Patiala, May 13
Punjab’s newly appointed Power Minister, Tarunpreet Singh Sond, officially assumed charge of the department on Wednesday and asserted that Punjab remains a power-surplus state. He assured that there would be no shortage of electricity during the upcoming paddy cultivation season.
Speaking after taking charge, the minister said Punjab has surplus electricity available throughout the year and can even supply power to other states when required. Yet, he acknowledged that during peak summer months and the paddy season, the state occasionally needs to purchase additional electricity from outside due to increased consumption.
Sond said detailed meetings had already been held with senior officials in Chandigarh, and every aspect of power management was being closely monitored to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply to both farmers and urban consumers.
Praising the officials and employees of PSPCL and Powercom, the minister said the department’s team was fully capable and, at present, there was no immediate need for major administrative changes.
He further stated that the government has made complete preparations keeping in view changing weather conditions and rising peak power demand, adding that Punjab would not be allowed to face any power crisis.
Notably, the Power Department was earlier being handled by Sanjeev Arora, who was recently arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). Following the reshuffle, Tarunpreet Singh Sond has now taken over the department and formally assumed office at the PSPCL office in Patiala.
