- Reiterates govt’s resolve to tackle power issues, streamlining energy matters on priority
- Says new board chairmen and members in five DISCOs appointed to further improve DISCOs’ performance
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday reiterated his government’s resolve to stop electricity theft, reduce line losses and improve the power distribution system across the county.
“A whole of the government approach should be adopted to resist power theft across the country,” the prime minister said while presiding over a meeting held here to review the matters of the Power Ministry on Sunday, said a statement from the PM’s House media wing.
The premier informed that recently the government had appointed new board chairmen and members in five power distribution companies (DISCOs) through a transparent process. He hoped that these appointments would further improve the performance of DISCOs.
Presiding over a meeting held here to review the matters of the Power Ministry, the prime minister directed the Power Minister and Secretary Power Division to coordinate with the provinces concerning halting the electricity theft, performance of DISCOs and other matters of the sector.
He directed the provincial governments to maintain the number of police force and Tehsildars as per the DISCOs’ needs. He also ordered the concerned authorities to deal with the corrupt elements in the power distribution companies with an iron hand and take strict action against them.
He directed DISCOs to make the kutchehri system more effective and result-oriented for public complaints.
PM Shehbaz said that the steering committee formed to shift agriculture tube wells to solar energy in Balochistan should convene immediately.
The meeting was informed that the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) regarding the transfer of agricultural tube wells in Balochistan to solar energy had been notified to the Steering Committee. The meeting was further informed that a package was being prepared regarding the acknowledgement of officers who had shown good performance.
The meeting was attended by Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal, Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Khan Cheema, Minister for Power Awais Khan Leghari and other officers of the relevant ministries and divisions.
‘People’s welfare top priority of govt’
Bilal Azhar Kayani, convener of the National Parliamentary Task-force (NPT) on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), said on Sunday that the despite of the current economic situation in the country, providing relief to the people was top priority of the government.
Talking to a private news channel, he said that the Prime Minister initiated Rs 50 billion energy subsidy package for low-income households that consume less than 200 units of electricity.
The three-month subsidy package will help alleviate issues of around 86 percent of consumers using up to 200 units of electricity, he added.
He said that the Chief Minister Punjab also initiated electricity relief package for the commoners of the province.
Customers using up to 500 units will get a subsidy of Rs14 per unit in August and September, he added.
The relief plan, expected to cost Rs45 billion, will be funded by reducing the province’s development expenditures, he further added.
He said that the government allocated development funds for the expansion of IT sector to increase IT exports.
