Generation of electricity: Punjab government encouraging private sector: chief minister

Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has said that Pakistan is facing serious energy crisis which has caused huge loss to industrial and agriculture sectors while poverty and unemployment have also increased. He said to cope with this problem the Punjab government was fully encouraging the private sector in generating power for getting rid of load-shedding.
He said that energy department had been set up in the province which was extending necessary assistance for the launching of new projects of power generation. He said that establishment of Power Generation Development Fund had been proposed for launching six projects for the production of 1000 megawatt energy in the province, adding the fund would be completely autonomous and would provide required technical assistance and help in the setting up of new projects of power generation.
He was presiding over a meeting regarding formulation of a comprehensive policy for the launching of new power generation projects in the province. Secretaries of various departments, experts associated with energy sector and the officers concerned were present. The meeting reviewed in detail the existing power crisis.
It was noted that power consumption in Punjab, which constituted 50 percent population of the country, was 68 percent while the province was contributing 65 percent share in the gross domestic product (GDP). Moreover, due to favourable business conditions 60 percent industries are operating in Punjab but the duration of load-shedding in the province is extremely excessive.
The Chief Minister further said Punjab had the best track record in the country with regard to power consumption and payment of the dues and performance of all the five distribution companies of the province was much better than other federal units in controlling power theft and the recovery of dues.
He said that small projects could be initiated for the supply of power to the small industrial estates set up in the province while investment by the private sector was being fully encouraged for this purpose. He said that under the policy of joint ventures by public and private sector, 1000 megawatt energy will be generated from six different projects. These projects include 250 to 300 megawatt power generation project in Muzaffargarh, 300 megawatt in Rahim Yar Khan, 250-300 megawatt in Faisalabad Industrial Estate and 120 megawatt in Taunsa, 80 megawatts in Cholistan and 30 megawatts in Lodhran.
The CM expressed his satisfaction over the fact that Punjab government had evolved a comprehensive roadmap for power generation which would help in overcoming energy crisis. A sum of Rs 150 million would also be provided in this regard for the capacity-building of provincial energy department, he added.
The CM said that solar irradiation was sufficient in southern Punjab therefore solar panels could be given to farmers of far-flung and backward areas of this region for agri purposes. He said it would help the farming community to meet its irrigational needs, adding that it would also save the heavy expenditure on tubewells operated through diesel and electricity.
He directed that a scheme be devised to provide solar panels to the farmers on the pattern of Green Tractor Scheme having upto 12.5 acres of agri land. He said the provincial government was also launching mega projects of drip and sprinkle irrigation with a cost of Rs 32 billion which would help in economical use of water for agri purposes.
The meeting also noted that the solar energy plants set up by Provincial Disaster Management Authority in the model villages of Muzaffargarh, Layyah, Rajanpur and Dera Ghazi Khan had greatly facilitated the local population. Earlier, Chief Executive Officer of Uch Power Private Limited Pervaiz Afzal Khan gave detailed briefing to the meeting regarding the roadmap of new projects of power generation with the collaboration of private sector, and said that upto 5000 megawatt power could be produced with the investment of five billion dollars in energy sector during the next five years.