Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Saturday said he has directed the power department to accord approval to the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee for installation of a solar plant for the Darbar Sahib in Amritsar. Extending his government’s full support to the project, Singh also directed the department to work proactively to ensure its early completion.
The chief minister was responding to a statement by Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Bibi Jagir Kaur about not getting sanction from the state government for the project to supply electricity to the Darbar Sahib.
A government spokesperson said that in a meeting held earlier this week, the power department pledged full support to the project.
US-based United Sikh Mission had sought permission to set up the plant of two megawatts at a location around 10 kilometres from the Golden Temple, the official said. The government has no objection and the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) has given in-principle approval, said the spokesperson.
During the meeting, PSPCL officials had even offered use of the existing transmission network of the corporation to take electricity to the Darbar Sahib. For this there would be no capital investment required by the United Sikh Mission, the official said.
The spokesperson said that the chief minister had made it clear that there should be no hurdle in the execution of the project. He had directed officials of the power department to proactively associate with the project and ensure its early completion. The chief minister has extended his government’s complete support to the project as envisaged by the United Sikh Mission and the SGPC, said the spokesperson.
