Jangveer Singh
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 26
A power hike rollback seems unlikely in Punjab but the SAD may give is alliance partner, the BJP, a face-saver to satisfy its core urban constituency.

The SAD-BJP alliance partners, who are set to meet again tomorrow after a seven-hour marathon meeting two days ago failed to completely resolve the power hike tangle, are, however, getting on more comfortable ground as far as the issue of subsidies as well as resource mobilisation is concerned.

Sources said tomorrow’s meeting would focus on removing all perceived differences between the alliance partners and that the discussions could continue. A final decision may not be reached with Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal not attending because he has gone abroad.

According to the sources, at the last meeting it was conveyed to the BJP that there was no way in which the government could take a further load of subsidising the power hike on domestic, commercial and industrial consumers, but it could look at other ways and means to give relief to its urban constituency. The BJP itself is divided on how to take the issue forward with those who are part of the government not wanting to precipitate matters but being egged on to do so by those outside it.

The sources said the SAD had made it clear that it understood the problems of its alliance partner and wanted to strengthen it in the coming days so that it could go back to its core constituency with confidence before the next Assembly elections. The two-member committee of Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal and Local Bodies Minister Manoranjan Kalia has come up with a proposal to rationalise excise taxation which will result in the inclusion of more persons in the tax net and raise resources. The committee feels there is need to encourage manufacturers who are part of the parallel economy to pay taxes.

As far as free power to the farm sector is concerned, the SAD is not in favour of withdrawing this facility. Though plans to limit the facility to small and marginal farmers have also been proposed, a survey has revealed that 80 per cent of the farmers in Punjab fall under this category. What is definitely being visualised and will be implemented is metered supply to tubewells. A survey has revealed that 250 per cent of the electricity being marked for tubewells is being misused. Doing away with this misuse itself would mobilise more money for the state, the sources said.