Unbundling of PSEB
Two months’ extension for state
Prabhjot Singh/TNS

Chandigarh, February 12
The Punjab Government got yet another reprieve as the Union Government has granted it yet another extension for unbundling its state electricity board. The last extension granted to the state was to end on February 15.

Though the Punjab Government wanted a four-month extension in its endeavour to work out all modalities before formally going in for the trifurcation of the Punjab State Electricity Board, the Union Power Ministry has agreed to a two-month extension.

Now, Punjab has time till April 15 this year to start the process of unbundling its electricity board in accordance with the provisions of the All-India Electricity Act.

Various unions and organisations of both employees of the PSEB and also of farmers have been opposing the unbundling of the board on various pleas, including that bifurcation or trifurcation of the board would not only render hundreds of employees jobless but also put a heavy financial burden on the state exchequer.

Organisations of farmers and workers had organised a protest in the city against the government move of unbundling the power board. The farmers and workers believe that the state was being forced to follow the Union Government’s orders on diktats from international financial organisations like the World Bank and the IMF.

Some organisations, anticipating no further extension to the state, had already given a call for dharnas and demonstrations for next week The latest reprieve will see the SAD-BJP government through the coming Budget session.