Politics
SAD President Badal Promises Low Power Rates and New ‘Build Punjab’ Department if Elected
Sukhbir Singh Badal, president of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), announced on Friday, October 30, 2026, that if the party wins the 2027 Assembly election, it will reduce industrial power rates to ₹5 per unit and allow industrialists to install their own solar power plants to bring rates down to ₹1.50 per unit. He also said the government would create a new department called ‘Build Punjab’ to issue all building permissions within one month, similar to the Invest Punjab department that was set up by the previous SAD government. Badal spoke to trade and industry representatives in Patiala and later met with traders in Samana and Shutrana. He said traders complained that violence had increased due to drug addiction and that the government would introduce a law denying bail to drug offenders for ten years and seize their properties. He urged the trade and industry community to compare the previous ten-year SAD tenure with the last ten years of Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party, and to choose the SAD for peace and progress of the state. The statements were made during an open interaction with industry representatives.
Frequently asked questions
What power rate reductions did Badal promise?
He promised to reduce industrial power rates to ₹5 per unit and allow industrialists to install solar plants to bring rates down to ₹1.50 per unit.
What new department did Badal propose?
He proposed creating a new department called ‘Build Punjab’ to issue all building permissions within one month, similar to the Invest Punjab department.