SAD vows ₹5 per unit power for industry and new ‘Build Punjab’ body if re‑elected

SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal said the party will supply power to Punjab’s industrial sector at ₹5 per unit if it forms the government after the 2027 assembly election. He added that the proposal aims to revive factories that face current rates of ₹10‑12 per unit, which he described as making industry unviable. Badal announced that the government will let industrialists set up their own solar power plants, cutting their electricity cost to about ₹1.50 per unit. The plan will be supported by a new department called ‘Build Punjab’, modelled on the earlier Invest Punjab unit, to issue all builder permissions within one month. He outlined the proposal while addressing trade and industry representatives in Patiala and later in Samana and Shutrana. Traders in those towns complained of a surge in violence linked to drug addiction; Badal responded that his government will introduce a law denying bail to drug offenders for ten years and will seize their properties. He urged the business community to compare the SAD’s ten‑year rule with the past decade under Congress and AAP, urging them to choose a “forward‑thinking and progressive” chief minister for peace and progress.

Context

Punjab’s industrial slowdown has been blamed on high electricity costs and law‑and‑order issues. Reducing power tariffs and fast‑tracking construction approvals are typical measures to attract investment, while tougher drug‑related laws aim to address public‑safety concerns.