Balochistan government has allocated Rs 888 million for solar energy home project in its annual budget for 2012-13 under which around 300 villages in parts of the province would be electrified. Speaking during provincial assembly budget session here Monday, the provincial Finance Minister Mir Asim Kurd highlighted the sufferings caused by shortage of power and said the nature has endowed the province with immense opportunities for generation of solar, wind and geo-thermal energy.
He said the provincial government has already set-up Balochistan Energy Company for promotion of renewable energy in the province. The Company has also been registered by Security Exchange Commission of Pakistan. He said the government currently spends Rs 3 billion on subsidy for around 15,600 tube wells in provincial agriculture sector and with exorbitant increase in power tariff the provincial government would hardly manage to continue subsidy for these tube-wells.
He said the government has a plan to convert all these tube-wells to solar-energy run at a cost of Rs 5 billion. He said Balochistan Governor House, Chief Minister and Civil Secretariat would also be made equipped with solar energy system. The project would cast Rs 450 million. Besides, all divisional headquarters would also have solar energy lighted street systems at a cost of Rs one billion. He said Rs one billion has been set aside for installing wind masts at coastal belt of the province. These strives by the government would greatly help check increasing prices of petroleum prices, he added.
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