Chandigarh- Punjab is witnessing a model of governance today, which has permanently removed a major financial burden from the lives of the common man. The 'Zero Electricity Bill' guarantee implemented by the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government is not just an election promise, but a revolutionary step.
This is the guarantee that has literally lit up the homes of lakhs of families in the state. Leaving behind the empty promises and expensive electricity of the previous governments, the present government has proved that if the policy and intention are clear, it is not impossible to provide direct relief to the public.
The biggest proof of the success of this scheme is that today 90 percent of the families of Punjab are taking advantage of 'Zero Electricity Bill'. This is not a small figure, but a direct relief to a large population of the state. In one billing cycle of August-September 2025 alone, 73,87,460 families got zero electricity bills.
This remarkable achievement shows that this welfare scheme of the government is reaching every section of the society, due to which people are getting direct savings of Rs. 1500 to Rs. 2000 every month, which they are using for their children's education and other family needs.
The figures tell the story of this historic success story themselves. Since the scheme came into effect in July 2022, till October 31, 2025, the Punjab Government has issued a total of 11,39,43,344 (i.e. about 11.40 crore) 'Zero Electricity Bills'. Along with this, a total of 13,46,32,343 (over 13.46 crore) consumers have availed the benefit of subsidized electricity. This is a rebuke to the failures of the previous governments, which failed to provide such basic relief to the masses for decades.
Today, when 90 percent of Punjabis are paying zero bills, the question is bound to arise as to why the previous governments could not do so? The truth is that they had neither the political will nor the vision to formulate pro-people policies. For them, the public was just a 'vote bank' to whom lollipops were handed out during elections.
The previous governments, busy looting the Punjab treasury and fulfilling their personal interests, never made a serious attempt to reduce the burden of the common man's electricity bill. Their priority was not to please Punjab, but to please their political masters.