Chandigarh, Dec. 15 -- Punjab's power subsidy default has touched a new high, with unpaid bills now crossing the Rs.10,000-crore mark and pushing the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) into a serious financial crunch.

For 2025-26, PSPCL has raised a subsidy bill of Rs.14,700 crore and the state government, to date, has released approximately Rs.8,700 crore, leaving Rs.6,000 crore unpaid. In addition to it, there are two legacy instalments that are also yet to be cleared. One being Rs.2,289 crore that was due by March 2025, and another Rs.1,804 crore for the current fiscal, taking the cumulative unpaid subsidy-related burden well past Rs.10,000 crore.

Freebie burden

The Punjab government is providing free power to the agricu...