Surat, October 23 — Gujarat has withdrawn its scheduled eight-hour weekly power cuts for industries in South Gujarat, offering relief to manufacturers facing potential production losses ahead of Diwali. Dakshin Gujarat Vij Company Limited (DGVCL), which had introduced the weekly power-staggering arrangement to manage pressure on electricity supplies, withdrew the restrictions on October 23 following representations from industry bodies and other stakeholders, according to reports by The Financial Express and DeshGujarat.

Source: The Financial Express and DeshGujarat via Financial News India

The textile industry had estimated that the restrictions could result in losses of around Rs 300 crore a week — yaani about Rs 3 billion every week — excluding potential losses from missed festive orders. Industry representatives raised concerns about production schedules, operating costs and workers' livelihoods, the reports said.

Source: The Financial Express and DeshGujarat via Financial News India

The withdrawal is effective immediately, CNBC-TV18 reported. Gujarat recorded a peak demand of 29,822 MW on October 16, up 36.6 per cent year-on-year. High temperatures, a weak monsoon, reduced hydropower and wind output, and pre-Diwali industrial activity drove the unprecedented surge in electricity demand, the report said.

Source: CNBC-TV18 via Inshorts

Gujarat has traditionally been a power-surplus state, and industry representatives said restrictions of this scale had not been experienced for nearly 15 years. The withdrawal provides relief to industrial units in South Gujarat, particularly textile manufacturers in Surat working to complete orders before Diwali.

The reported rollback specifically concerns the South Gujarat arrangement announced by DGVCL. The reports did not confirm the status of any power restrictions affecting other industrial centres in the state.