- Vows that after Balochistan, centre would also work in collaboration with Punjab, Sindh and KP for farmers’ welfare
- Chairing meeting on solarization of agriculture tube wells, anti-power theft campaign at PM House
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Friday vowed that after Balochistan, the federal government would also work in collaboration with the governments of Punjab, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for the welfare of farmers regarding the conversion of agricultural tube wells to solar energy.
Chairing a meeting on solarization of agriculture tube wells and anti-power theft campaign at the PM House, the prime minister highlighted that solar energy was the cheapest source of producing electricity, therefore promoting the solar energy in the country had become the government’s top priority.
وزیراعظم محمد شہباز شریف کی زیر صدارت زرعی ٹیوب ویلوں کی سولرآئیزیشن اور بجلی چوری کی روک تھام کے حوالے سے آج اسلام آباد میں اجلاس منعقد ہوا۔
"بلوچستان کے بعد پنجاب، سندھ اور خیبر پختونخوا میں زرعی ٹیوب ویلوں کی شمسی توانائی پر منتقلی کے حوالے سے صوبائی حکومتوں کے ساتھ مل کر… pic.twitter.com/9xr3Rv402i
— Government of Pakistan (@GovtofPakistan) July 12, 2024
The prime minister directed the relevant authorities to prepare a comprehensive strategy after consultation with the provincial governments regarding the conversion of agricultural tube wells to solar energy in the provinces.
In the meeting, the prime minister was told that shifting diesel-powered agricultural tube wells to eco-friendly solar energy would save US$ 2.7 billion in foreign exchange.
PM Shehbaz also instructed to formulate a comprehensive plan to further improve electricity theft prevention measures.
The prime minister appreciating the provincial governments for their cooperation with the Power Ministry to prevent electricity theft, directed the authorities concerned to present a comprehensive plan to introduce smart metering system in the country. He said the overbilling in the electricity bills would not be tolerated.
The meeting was informed that during the anti-electricity theft campaign, since September 2023, some 74,366 people had been arrested, 174,562 FIRs had been registered, 46 employees of Power Distribution Companies had been suspended and 421,460 cases had been filed across the country.
The meeting was further told that recently some 1,113 new electricity meters were installed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and around 12000 illegal connections were removed.
The meeting was attended by Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Khan Cheema, Minister for Power Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari, Petroleum Minister Dr Musadik Malik, Minister of State for Finance and Revenue Ali Pervaiz Malik (through video link), Coordinator to PM Rana Ehsaan Afzal (through video link), and other high officials. Chief Secretaries of the four provinces also attended the meeting via video link.
PM directs preparing action plan for PASSCO’s privatisation
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday directed the authorities concerned to prepare an action plan for the privatisation of the Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Cooperation (PASSCO).
The prime minister, chairing a meeting to discuss the matters related to the Ministry of National Food Security and Research and PASSCO, also instructed to carry out the restructuring of the Wheat Board.
He said the restructured Wheat Board should include representatives of farmers, Land Information Management System and PASSCO.
The prime minister called for taking effective measures to enhance the yield of wheat and other crops.
He asked the relevant authorities to formulate an alternate strategy for wheat procurement by the federal government and holding consultation with the provincial governments and also those of Gilgit Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, as well as relevant departments.
The participants of the meeting were briefed about the ToRs and restructuring of the Wheat Board, and also on increasing the crops yield as well as reforms in the PASSCO.
Federal cabinet members including Ahad Khan Cheema, Muhammad Aurangzeb, Rana Tanveer Hussain, Attaullah Tarar, and Ali Pervaiz Malik, Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission Jahanzeb Khan, PM’s Coordinator Rana Ehsan Afzal and relevant senior officers attended the meeting.
