Electricity consumers: Rs 31.35 billions collected through debt servicing surcharge, Senate told

The Senate was informed on Wednesday that the debt servicing surcharge was imposed on consumers except lifeline consumers in October 2014 and a total of Rs 31,350.36 million was collected during the financial year 2016-17. During the question-hour, Minister for Energy Abid Sher Ali said that Rs 6,315.24 million was collected in 2014-15 and Rs 27,427.46 million in 2015-16. He was responding to a question raised by Senator Ateeq Sheikh of MQM.
Sheikh had asked whether it was a fact that a debt surcharge was being charged from consumers through electricity bills and if it is so, how much amount was collected through the same during the last five years. To another question by Senator Ateeq, Minister Jam Kamal Khan said that at present, the approximate constrained demand of natural gas in Pakistan was 6.6 BCF per day, whereas the estimated gas production during the current fiscal year ie July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2018 is around 4.1 BCFD.
Law Minister Zahid Hamid said that against a sanctioned strength of 45 judicial officers in Civil District and Sessions Division -East, Islamabad, the working strength was 28. Abid Sher Ali informed the House that Rs 150 billion was payable by electricity consumers in Balochistan. However, he assured the House that by March 2018, the transmission system would ensure supply of electricity to entire Balochistan.
The minister explained that 850MW could presently be handled by the improved power transmission system. To this, Senator Mir Kabir of the National Party pointed out that presently, Balochistan is getting around 450-500MW and insisted on referral of the issue of electricity theft to the house committee concerned.
"The federal government has prepared the National Water Policy in consultation with all stakeholders, which is under submission to the Council of Common Interest for approval. It includes improving efficiency of application of irrigation water by adopting high efficiency system for more crops per drop," said Minister for Water Resources Syed Javed Ali Shah while responding to a question by Senator Nuzhat Sadiq of PML-N.
He explained that the distribution of irrigation water was a provincial subject, therefore, steps would be taken for enforcement of high efficiency irrigation system by the provincial governments. The minister said however a pilot project for high efficiency irrigation system for 20 acres of land under the approval of PC-I of Darawat Dam Project was being carried out through EPC contract. The House also adopted the report of the Committee of the Whole on revival of students unions in educational institutions in the country particularly in colleges and universities.