How power cuts are helping PSEB to pay staff salaries!

It seems that six hours power cut will stay in Punjab because Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) has no option but to sell power in order to save some money for running expenses including the salaries of the employees. The board authorities apart from returning the power to HP, J-K and a few other states from whom they had drawn in the paddy season, are also selling power amounting to more than Rs 2 crore per day so as to earn some income. Sources revealed that because of the poor financial health, they have no option but to sell power, and hence consumer is facing power cuts even in winters.

“Six hours was the power cut schedule in summers and the same is the schedule even in winters,” rued Charanjit Singh Vishvkarma, president of United Cycles Parts and Manufacturers Association. He said more than 60% of industry in Ludhiana was working in mixed feeders areas and hence they were facing power cuts which was causing further losses to their business.

HS Bedi, president of PSEB Engineers Association, while talking on this subject, said, “The board is facing problems in getting short term loans these days and pending subsidies are yet to be cleared by government. Earlier, loans used to be the saviour but in the absence of short-term loans, the board has to sell power to run their expenses.”

However the management authorities said that consumer can easily bear power cuts in winters and hence this is the time for board to earn some income, so as to run the system smoothly. Apart from this, even the authorities have already adopted more cost-cutting measures by disallowing employees to use GPF money and even retirement benefits of many employees were also delayed last month. The employees’ union is already holding protests on this issue.