Government determined to facilitate power consumers: Jatoi

Federal Minister for Water and Power, Liaquat Ali Jatoi has said the present government is fully determined to facilitate power consumers at all cost and directed Wapda to solve their genuine problems on top priority basis.
He said every MNA is public representative, is to be respected. We have also resolved the issues raised by them on priority. He also sought co-operation of Parliamentarians to comply with the Energy Conservation Plan in their respective areas to mobilise public to save energy.
He said this while attending briefing session to MNAs about the current energy situation as well as village electrification programme here on Wednesday in the Parliament House.
Large number of MNAs belonging to various areas of the country attended the briefing. Secretary and Advisor M/O Water and Power, Chairman Wapda, Members of Power and Water of Wapda, and senior officials of Ministry and Wapda were present on this occasion.
Briefing arranged by the Minister for Water and Power which informed the participants that Wapda has completed 45,000 cases of Village Electrification during the last four years which benefited about eight million people throughout the country.
The electrification works in 15,000 villages to be completed by December 2007. He also apprised the participants that Wapda has provided 19,000 tube well connections during the year 2005-06 while this year 13,000 more tube well connections would be provided up to June, 2007.
He also briefed the members about the Energy Conservation Plan, launched by the government, and said this would yield positive results to save energy for minimising the load management for the domestic consumers. He also assured the MNAs that all their genuine demands would be handled on fast-track basis.
Jatoi listened patiently the grievances of the Parliamentarians and gave orders for early resolution of all genuine problems. He directed Wapda to clear 6,000 pending cases of tube well connections within six months. He further directed that a uniform policy for revamping and up gradation of transmission lines and repairs of transformers both for urban and rural will be adopted by Wapda.
He also decided to provide meters to the consumers within a week after completion of electrification of a village. He also took decision for uniformity of load management for both urban and rural areas without any discrimination. He also advised Wapda to work on a proposal of prepaid meters for effective control and facilitation to the public.
The minister also informed the participants that a MoU for import of 1000 MW electricity has been signed with Iran on which technical groups of both the countries are working to expedite the modalities for implementation of this project. He further informed that agreements with a number of IPPs have been signed by PPIB which will start adding power to the national grid system from next year.