Punjab’s bustling rice industry has been thrown into disarray as relentless power cuts leave millers unable to process freshly harvested Basmati, triggering chaos across market yards and deepening a political storm.

Key facts

  • Punjab is receiving 1,051 MW less than its share from the Central Power pool
  • Rice millers report inability to lift, dry, or process paddy due to power disruptions
  • Opposition slams AAP’s unfulfilled ‘Roshan Punjab’ promise of 24-hour power

Industry in Crisis

Ashok Sethi, director of the Punjab Rice Millers and Exporters Association, didn’t mince words. "Due to complete disruption of power supply, the rice millers are unable to lift the paddy, creating total chaos," he said. Huge quantities of Basmati are piling up in markets across Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Pathankot, and Gurdaspur districts—regions known as the heartland of Punjab’s premium rice trade.

Political Firestorm

The power shortage has ignited fierce criticism from opposition leaders. Partap Singh Bajwa, leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Assembly, took aim at Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal. "Last year Bhagwant Mann and Arvind Kejriwal launched their ₹5,000-crore ‘Roshan Punjab’ campaign and promised 24-hour uninterrupted power supply by 2026," he quipped. "Today, PSPCL is asking industries to accept 8.5 hours without power."

“From 24-hour uninterrupted power to please shoulder the burden, what happened to Roshan Punjab, Bhagwant Mann?”

Former Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar echoed the sentiment, alleging financial mismanagement by the AAP government had worsened the crisis.

Roots of the Shortage

Punjab Power Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond pointed fingers at the central government, stating Punjab is receiving 1,051 MW less than its allocated share from the Central Power pool. But warnings had been brewing. Last month, the Punjab State Electricity Board Engineers Association sounded the alarm in a letter to the Chief Minister, highlighting an "imminent financial and power crisis" and urging long-term capacity planning.

For now, farmers and millers watch helplessly as precious harvests risk spoilage—and patience wears thin.