The state’s twin engines of growth, agriculture and industry, are reeling under the strain of erratic electricity supply, leaving farmers stranded in the midst of paddy sowing and MSMEs struggling to meet production schedules.
The prolonged and unscheduled power cuts have sparked anger in villages and anxiety in industrial clusters, exposing the fragility of the state’s energy management at a critical juncture.
For cultivators, the disruption has stalled irrigation and left standing crops vulnerable to drying. “Against the promised eight hours, we are getting only four to six hours of power supply. Tube wells lying idle while the crop suffers,” said Gurmeet Singh, a farmer from Jagraon.
Many farmers have resorted to running diesel generators but that has led to a sharp increase in input costs. If things continue in the same way, it will become difficult during the paddy season as water will be required in abundance and for that we need electricity to run tube well,” said HS Lakhowal, president of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (Lakhowal).
“Against the promise of eight hours, we are getting only four to six hours of power supply,” he said.
Leaders of unions warned that the government’s failure to ensure uninterrupted supply was pushing cultivators into a crisis. “If the situation continues, the losses will be unbearable,” cautioned Dilbagh Singh of the Bhartiya Kisan Mazdoor Union.
Those who can afford diesel generators are facing spiralling costs while small farmers are left waiting endlessly for power. “The cost of diesel is eating into our margins. How can we survive when the basic need of electricity is not met?” asked Balwinder Singh of Machhiwara.
Farmers fear that delays in transplantation will disturb the entire crop cycle, affecting yields and harvest schedules.
The industrial sector, meanwhile, is equally distressed. The Chamber of Industrial and Commercial Undertakings (CICU) has raised the alarm over frequent cuts imposed on units under the 11 kV category, particularly MSMEs.
“Small and medium industries work on strict delivery schedules and limited resources. Interruptions halt production, delay dispatches and damage machinery. It directly affects competitiveness and survival,” said JS Bhogal, senior vice-president of the CICU.
CICU president Upkar Singh Ahuja noted that MSMEs were already battling labour shortages, weak global demand and rising raw material prices. Escalating logistics costs could not withstand the added burden of unscheduled power cuts.
“Industries contribute significantly to the state’s economy and employment. Safeguarding them is essential for Punjab’s growth,” he said, urging the government to arrange additional electricity through alternative sources and power exchanges.
Both farmers and industrialists have warned of intensifying protests if corrective measures were not taken. Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) faces mounting pressure to balance the competing demands of agriculture and industry during the peak summer load.
