Chandigarh, September 6-Punjab BJP State President Kewal Singh Dhillon has strongly condemned the Aam Aadmi Party government for its incompetence, mismanagement and constantly changing false claims regarding the power sector. Dhillon said there is a vast difference between the AAP government’s claims and the ground reality, and the people bearing the brunt of this failure today are Punjab’s industrialists, farmers, traders and the general public.

Referring to government data and the government’s earlier statements, BJP State President Dhillon exposed the political and administrative contradictions of the AAP government. He said that in December 2022, when the Pachhwara coal mine became operational, the Punjab Chief Minister had claimed that the state had sufficient coal for the next 30 years and would soon emerge as one of the country’s leading power-surplus states. The Chief Minister repeated this claim in April 2026, stating that thermal plants had coal stocks sufficient for months and that there was no shortage.

He said that the Punjab Power Minister is now admitting that a severe shortage of coal has resulted in a 1,500 MW decline in power generation, while private thermal plants are operating at only half their capacity.

Kewal Singh Dhillon questioned, “If the Pachhwara mine had coal reserves sufficient for 30 years, why are thermal plants shutting down today? What happened to the claims of zero power cuts under the ₹5,000-crore ‘Roshan Punjab’ project? The government must explain why there is such a glaring contradiction between its earlier assurances and the statements of the Power Minister.”

Devastating Impact on Industries

Expressing concern, Dhillon said that continuous power cuts of four to five hours are being imposed across Punjab, including Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Khanna, Mohali and Mandi Gobindgarh. Erratic power supply is bringing factory production to a standstill. Unscheduled power cuts are causing heavy damage to machinery and raw materials, thereby increasing the operating costs of industrialists.

Kewal Singh Dhillon said that industry is the backbone of Punjab’s economy. If industries are forced to shut down, it will directly affect employment, new investment and the government’s tax revenue.

He said the poor power supply is also affecting the agricultural sector. The Punjab Government has failed to ensure adequate electricity for farmers for paddy and other crops, as well as uninterrupted power supply to domestic consumers.

Kewal Singh Dhillon warned the Punjab Government to stop making false claims and indulging in publicity through advertisements in the media. He said the government must immediately conduct a high-level review of the power supply situation and ensure uninterrupted and reliable electricity for industrial areas as well as domestic consumers.