Rajmeet Singh
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, September 1
Congress general secretary in-charge of Punjab affairs Harish Rawat, after a three-hour-long meeting with CM Capt Amarinder Singh here today, said he had asked the latter to renegotiate the power rates with private companies. At the same time, citing legal limitations, he said all power purchase agreements (PPAs) could not be cancelled.
This is contrary to the stand taken by Punjab Pradesh Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu and dissidents, who want all PPAs scrapped. Sidhu is learnt to be in Delhi to meet the party top brass.
“The people of Punjab can expect some relief. I have asked the CM to renegotiate power tariff with private companies. Providing 300 units of free power too is on the agenda,” Rawat said. Toeing the CM’s line, he said any decision on the central farm laws must be taken keeping in mind the constitutional constraints.
“The Punjab Government has been pro-active on the farmers’ issue. But the Punjab Governor did not forward the amendments to the farm laws passed in the Punjab Assembly. I
have asked the Chief Minister to take the best possible legal steps to be seen standing firmly with the farmers,” he said.
Sidhu and dissidents have been demanding rejection of the farm laws on the floor of the Punjab Assembly. On drugs, without naming anybody, Rawat observed: “One particular person has gone scot-free. I have asked Captain to take up the case in the High Court”.
Prior to his meeting with the CM, Rawat said he had strongly taken up the concerns of ministers and MLAs with the Chief Minister . “They have raised important issues. We should not test the patience of the people,” he remarked. Rawat also met Partap Singh Bajwa, MP, ministers Rana Gumeet Sodhi, Balbir Sidhu and OP Soni, MLAs Barindermeet Pahra, Raja Warring and Dr Raj Kumar Chabbewal and a delegation led by Anish Sidana.
Renegotiate power tariff: Harish Rawat to Capt Amarinder Singh
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