Employees urge Punjab CM, Governor to remove Power Minister, restore industrial peace in powercom
Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in News/ April 22,2026
Today, the Joint Action Committee of Engineers, Employees and Pensioners of power sector has urged the Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Singh Mann and Governor Punjab Gulab Chand Kataria to divest Sanjeev Arora from Power department and appoint some another minister of this key department.
In an official letter sent to CM Mann and Governor Gulab Chand Kataria Power Sector Joint Action Committee of Engineers, Employees and Pensioners said “in its meeting held at Patiala on April 22,2026 took serious cognizance of the recent press reports published in the print & electronic media, wherein, investigation has been initiated by India’s premier law enforcement agencies against certain Real Estate firms, which are directly or indirectly linked to the family of Power Minister Sanjeev Arora.”
“This prima facie appears to be a case of conflict of interests as certain reality firms whose deals are being investigated are owned, operated, or managed by a close family member of the Power Minister. This situation presents a clear case of conflict of interest where private interests clash with public duty. Allowing the incumbent Power Minister to hold the charge of the Power Department, where he is also supervising the sale of PSPCL properties, as this may hamper neutrality and erodes public trust in the administration. To maintain the high standard of integrity and probity in public life and adherence to the principles of administrative accountability, we urge the CM and the Governor to shift the charge of the Power Department to someone else, in the larger interest of the Punjab Power Sector.” said the spokesperson of the JAC
The Joint Action Committee leadership further stated that Engineers, Employees, Pensioners and farmers have been agitating against the unilateral decisions taken by PSPCL on the directions of the Minister to sell the prime land of the PSPCL/ PSTCL meant for the development of Punjab Power Sector. Whereas, the Minister is not ready to listen to the concerns of the trade unions on this issue.
“Recently ED has raided the premises of power minister Sanjeev Arora, for the second time in less than two years. As per available information Sanjeev Arora is the promoter of company M/s Hampton Sky Realty Ltd (formerly M/s Ritesh Properties and Industries Ltd) which is into large scale real estate and infra projects in Punjab. His son Kavya Arora is presently the MD of the company. So their is an apprehension that he has personal interst in the prime properties of powercom”added another leader of the JAC
Resultantly, Industrial peace in the PSPCL has been seriously impacted. Moreover, Sale of PSPCL lands issue cannot be left at the disposal of the Power Minister, whose conduct prima facie appears to be conflict of interests.
Leadership urged upon the Chief Minister, in the large interest of fairness, public trust & political morality the Power Department Portfolio may be changed to save the image of the State Govt. and in the interest of Punjab Power Sector.
Leadership also expressed its concern regarding the degrading power supply scenario in the State, this is a result of the management failing to ensure sufficient power availability in the State and failure to initiate maintenance works during the winter months and has now in the pretext of maintenance imposing long power cuts across the State. Every category of employees in the power sector is on the agitation path during these crucial summer months.
Leadership appealed to the CM to intervene to address the genuine concerns of the power sector and its workforce and restore industrial peace in the corporation.
