category Regional, chandigarh, , tags Regional, chandigarh, , DW BUREAU Chandigarh Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Sunday congratulated people on completion of one year for the free power the guarantee that has benefitted every section of society. In a statement, he said the government had on July 1 last year launched the guarantee to provide free power to the people, and since then, 90 per cent of the households in the state are getting free power and have got zero power bill. Mann said it is a matter of pride and satisfaction that along with domestic consumers, the food growers of the country are also getting free and uninterrupted power in the state. He said the farmers are getting more than eight hours of power supply without any cut. The farmers are sharing the videos regarding it and expressing gratitude to the government. Mann said apart from this, the government has paid a subsidy of Rs 20,200 crore to the PSPCL. The Chief Minister said that this has not been made possible by taking loans, as done by previous governments, but by checking pilferages and corruption. He said that due to concerted efforts of the state government supply of coal from Pachwara coal mine that was stopped has been resumed after 2015. Bhagwant Mann said that earlier governments had stalled supply from this coal mine to mint money illegally from the private thermal plants. The Chief Minister said that for the first time in the history of the state, Punjab has a coal stock of 43 days whereas the earlier threat of blackout loomed large in the state during earlier regimes. He said that though across the country governments were selling government properties to fetch money but Punjab government has started a reverse trend by purchasing a private thermal plant. Bhagwant Mann said that industry is being provided with uninterrupted power even during the ongoing paddy season. The Chief Minister said that the state government is making concerted efforts for making Punjab a power surplus state adding that focus is now being laid to promote green, solar and hydro power in the state. He also announced that the state government is setting up a 206 MW hydro power project in Pathankot on Ravi river to check the pilferage of water. Bhagwant Mann said that this water will be used judiciously for irrigating the fields of the state besides generating power. The Chief Minister said that due to the efforts of the state government canal water has reached the tail end in villages which has reduced burden on tube wells thereby considerably saving power and ground water. He said that the state government is committed to carving out a rangla Punjab for which every Punjabi should play a proactive role. Bhagwant Mann said that Punjab had been a harbinger of green revolution and now the state will show a new way to the entire country in every sector. (editor dailyworld.in)