Punjab power crisis: IAS officer Gurkirat Kirpal Singh replaces PSPCL CMD Basant Garg

PTC News Desk: In a significant bureaucratic reshuffle, the AAP-led Punjab government has has transferred Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) Administrative Secretary and CMD Dr Basant Garg. Principal Secretary Gurkirat Kirpal Singh has been appointed in his place.

All charges of the Industry Department held by Gurkirat Kirpal Singh have been given to Garg.

Gurkirat Kirpal Singh, who is known for efficiently handling several government departments, faces a major challenge as he takes charge of the power department amid a serious coal shortage affecting thermal power plants in Punjab.

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Power demand in the state has increased by around 3,500 MW compared with last year and has reached nearly 16,000 MW. However, the government has struggled to meet the rising demand. Irregular coal supplies have limited power generation to around 6,000 MW.

The change in leadership comes as farmers in several parts of Punjab are protesting over irregular power supply. Industrialists have also complained that power cuts are badly affecting production and have threatened to block the Ludhiana-Chandigarh highway later today.

The Punjab Government has said the power cuts are mainly due to insufficient coal supplies being received by the state’s thermal power plants from the Centre.

Meanwhile, Industry Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sondh said in Ludhiana on Monday that there would be no power cuts in Punjab from Tuesday. He assured that farmers would receive 10 hours of electricity every day and industries would also get uninterrupted supply.

Sondh said all thermal power plants in the state, including private plants, were now operational.