AAP hits back at Sukhbir over power tariff claims
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Thursday refuted the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal's claim regarding power tariffs and industrial policies in Punjab, claiming that their government in the state was cleaning the mess it inherited.
AAP senior spokesperson Neel Garg, while blaming the SAD-BJP regime's abysmal track record, alleged that they left behind a legacy of corruption, inefficiency and debt. 'We inherited this mess and have worked tirelessly to clean it up. The day tariff, which Sukhbir is lamenting about, was introduced in 2017 during the Congress government, not under the present administration,' he said in a statement.
According to Garg, under the SAD-BJP regime, industries were charged ₹8.75 per unit (inclusive of charges), endured frequent unscheduled power cuts, and faced rampant corruption.
He said that in stark contrast, the AAP government prioritised affordable power, no power cuts, transparent governance, free electricity to the farmers, schools, hospitals and employment. 'Over 90% of small industries now benefit from subsidized electricity. Power cuts are rare and always announced in advance. Free and uninterrupted electricity for farmers has been ensured, benefitting Punjab's agrarian economy,' he claimed, dismissing Badal's allegations as baseless.
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