Punjab power crisis: Akalis demand spl package for farmers using diesel gensets to water paddy
The Shiromani Akali Dal Thursday demanded an immediate financial package for paddy farmers who were being forced to use diesel generators to rear their paddy crop amid an unprecedented power crisis in Punjab. Party president Sukhbir Singh Badal accused the government of deliberately not providing farmers eight hours of uninterrupted power supply in order to “reduce its free power subsidy bill”.
“After betraying farmers by refusing to implement a complete loan waiver, the CM has now effectively made the free power facility redundant.
Farmers need power the most during the paddy season. Instead of the committed eight-hour uninterrupted supply, they are being given three to four hours supply forcing them to spend thousands of rupees every day on diesel generators to save their paddy crop.
