The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Friday alleged that the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) -Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Punjab, during its tenure between 2007 and 2017, bought expensive electricity by entering into power agreements with private companies.

Addressing a press conference, AAP chief spokesperson Malvinder Singh Kang said the Bhagwant Mann Government has signed two Power Purchase Agreements (PPA) with state-owned Sutlej Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN). Under the agreement, the AAP Government will buy 1,200 megawatt (MW) solar power at the rate of Rs 2.53 and Rs 2.75 per unit.

“If in 2023, the Mann Government is able to buy electricity at Rs 2.53 per unit, why then was electricity purchased at Rs 7.5 and Rs 8 per unit in 2008,” Kang asked.

He said the then Parkash Singh Badal Government deliberately entered into expensive power agreements to benefit itself and private companies. “They defrauded the Punjab exchequer of billions of rupees. Akali Dal and BJP should explain who benefited from such expensive power agreements,” the AAP leader said.

Kang also accused the previous Congress government of purchasing electricity at an expensive rate. He said even in the Congress government, electricity was purchased at a higher rate and they gave benefits to many private companies and politicians at the expense of the people’s money.

Kang said in the power agreement signed during the SAD-BJP and Congress government, it was provided the Punjab government would give a fixed amount to the power companies, whether the government buys the power or not, whether the power is consumed or not, but the government had to pay this money.

“On the other hand, in the Mann government a provision has been made that tenders asking for more than Rs 2.8 per unit would not be accepted,” he added.

Kang said the Mann Government was committed to providing free and 24-hour power supply to the people of Punjab. “This solar agreement is proof of that. He said that despite a record demand of 16000 MW power per day this year, the Maan government provided power to the people without any disruptions, while the Akali and Congress governments used to impose power cuts for hours,” he added.