Punjab’s Revolution in the Power Sector: Reforms That Transformed the Energy System

A new era in Punjab's energy system, numerous reforms are taking place in the power sector.  The wide-ranging improvements initiated under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann have gradually pushed aside long-standing issues such as decades-old debt, power cuts, and mismanagement. The Mann government has moved the energy sector toward stability and trust by clearing ₹2,000 crore of Powercom’s debt.

The 600 units of free electricity scheme, implemented in July 2022, has proved to be a major relief for the public. Because of this scheme, the electricity bills of nearly 90% of households have become zero. Domestic consumers, farmers, and industries are all being provided 24-hour uninterrupted electricity supply. Today, Punjab is counted among the states offering electricity at some of the lowest rates in the country.

To strengthen energy security, the government restarted the Pachhwara coal mine, eliminating the problem of disrupted coal supply. The state achieved a major milestone by acquiring the private-sector GVK thermal plant in Goindwal Sahib for the first time. Purchased for ₹1,080 crore, it has been renamed the “Shri Guru Amardas Ji Thermal Plant,” symbolizing both energy self-reliance and heritage.

Under the ‘Roshan Punjab Project’, the power infrastructure is being modernized at a cost of ₹5,000 crore. Work is progressing rapidly in 13 municipal corporations to replace bare wires, improve the safety of old meter boxes, upgrade transformers, and shift the network underground.

The Chief Minister said, “For the first time in Punjab, a government has not sold properties but has bought them. This is a new chapter of change.” These power sector reforms have not only strengthened the economy but have also brought the dream of a self-reliant Punjab closer to reality.