Here's a simple question: guess how much power Punjab can generate in just two years if (a) it has an aggregate power demand of 9,000 MW today, but (b) after all these years, it has managed to build up generation capacity of 6,900 MW? Your answer is not likely to be anywhere near Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal's promise: 14,000 MW by 2012 (when elections will be at hand).

On Tuesday Badal laid the foundation stone for a state-of-the-art 1,320-MW super thermal power plant designed, developed and operated by Larsen & Toubro. Then he addressed a public rally and said Punjab would not only start getting uninterrupted 24-hour power supply in the next two and a half years but would actually start selling electricity to other states.

His government's efforts in this direction have brought Punjab to the take-off stage where power generation is set to double from the present 6,900 MW to nearly 14,000 MW, he said. In 60 years the state has managed only 6900 MW but Badal wants you to believe that in just two years he will add more than 7000 MW.

If you can believe that, you will also believe that you can light your lamp with hope!

Note: If you have come across some such outrageous promises made by politicians you can send them to [email protected] to be considered for publication.