All made assurances, nobody resolved the power hike problem for Punjab MSMEs: FOPSIA

New Delhi, Sept 14 (KNN) Despite knocking doors of various concerned persons of Punjab Power Authority from past one and half years, nothing has come in the hands of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Punjab. They are still struggling with the high power tariff rates, said Badish Jindal, President, Federation of Punjab Small Industries Association (FOPSIA).

Recently, Punjab State Corporation Limited (PSCL)has started charging fixed load cost from industries which has come as a shocker to the industrial units.

With this, the overall cost of electricity for industrial units in Punjab has gone up to Rs 10.5 per unit.

While, Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh promised to give preference to Rs 5 per unit in its new industrial policy, the Power Department has started charging two part tariff which is troubling Punjab MSMEs.

Now, their cost of electricity has come into the bracket of Rs 9 to 14, which is quite higher than the earlier amount they used to pay.

 In this regard talking to KNN, Jindal said “from past one and half years, hike in power tariff has been creating lots of challenges for the MSMEs in state.”

Over this matter, he said, MSMEs held meetings with former Power Minister Rana Gurjeet Singh and Principal Secretary Suresh Kumar two times.

They also discussed this matter with the present Power Minister Gurpreet Singh Kangad three times and with Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal six times, he added.

But the fact is that all of them gave just assurances, nobody resolved the problems of he tbusinessmen, said Jindal.