Punjab to Become “No-Powercut” State Next Year; Kejriwal Launches “Roshan Punjab” Project

New Delhi/Punjab, Oct, 2025: Punjab is set to become a “no-powercut” state by next year. On Wednesday, AAP National Convener Arvind Kejriwal, along with Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, inaugurated the “Roshan Punjab” project. In Jalandhar, the foundation for a state-of-the-art power transmission and distribution network, costing ₹5,000 crore, was laid. Kejriwal stated that the AAP government is revamping Punjab’s electricity system, aiming to deliver 24-hour electricity to the entire state.

Under this project, 25,000 km of new cables will be laid, 8,000 new transformers installed, 77 new substations constructed, and 200 existing substations overhauled. The entire power system will be modernized and monitored from a control room, enabling centralized management. Within a year, free 24-hour electricity will reach households across Punjab, following the precedent set in Delhi.

Kejriwal emphasized that no other state government in India has even envisioned providing 24-hour free electricity to its citizens. The AAP government first implemented it in Delhi and is now extending the same to Punjab. Currently, 90% of Punjab households receive free electricity, with each family getting 600 units free every two months. Previously, farmers had to wake up between 1–4 AM for irrigation due to limited power supply, but now they receive 8 hours of electricity during the day. Punjab’s industry now enjoys the fourth cheapest electricity in India.

Kejriwal highlighted that Punjab’s electricity transmission and distribution network had degraded over 75 years, with rusted wires and overloaded transformers, necessitating massive upgrades. The project will bring a modern SCADA system, eliminating the need for field inspections. Kejriwal expressed confidence that Punjab will not face power cuts next summer.

He praised AAP MLA Sanjeev Arora of Ludhiana West for fixing hanging wires across Punjab. The work undertaken by the AAP government in Punjab’s power sector was described as historic, unmatched by any other state government.

Kejriwal also mentioned the flood relief initiative, where 35 of 60 dependents of flood victims received employment in Lovely Professional University, fulfilling a promise made by AAP MP Dr. Ashok Mittal.

CM Bhagwant Mann praised Kejriwal’s visionary approach, stating it has forced other political parties to revise their manifestos, making education, health, and electricity central political issues. He noted the government’s steps in reviving coal supply from Pachwara mine and acquiring the Goindwal Power Plant, renaming it after Guru Amar Das Ji, a first-of-its-kind government acquisition of a private plant.

Mann highlighted efforts to provide uninterrupted power supply to domestic, industrial, and agricultural sectors, creation of 55,000+ government jobs for youth, and initiatives against drug trafficking, including strategies to eliminate substance abuse in the state.

He added that Schools of Eminence and government schools are delivering quality education, with 265 students qualifying in JEE Mains, 44 in JEE Advanced, and 848 in NEET. Over the past three years, 881 Aam Aadmi Clinics have been opened, serving 1.75 crore people with free medicines, soon to cross 1,000 clinics.

The CM emphasized that such large-scale initiatives were never undertaken by previous governments, which kept the public “in the dark.” In the past three-and-a-half years, the AAP government has cleared decades of mismanagement, ensuring accountability for those who exploited power.

Key officials present: Cabinet Minister Sanjeev Arora, Lok Sabha MP Dr. Raj Kumar Chabbewal, Rajya Sabha MP Ashok Mittal, and other dignitaries.