Government urged to take concrete steps towards overcoming energy crisis: debate on Budget 2012-13 continues

The treasury members of the National Assembly Monday urged the government to take solid steps in Budget-2012-13 to overcome the prevailing energy crisis in the country. While participating in the budget debate, the treasury members also criticised the government on loadshedding due to mismanagement, corruption and appointment of incompetent officers in departments of Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda).
Former Minister Hameed Ullah Jan Afridi from Fata said that most of the problem of loadshedding is due to mismanagement and incompetence of the government. He said that the government should also find alternative sources of energy and has to invest on projects of solar and wind energy to overcome the current power shortage in the country. He said that the government should provide financial support and facilities to private sector and the common man by installing solar system.
While participating in the debate, he said that foreign direct investment is decreasing in the country. He said that there was $668 million foreign investment in 2011-13, which was $1293 million in 2010-11. He said that there is also need to bring reforms in Board of Investment (BOI) in this regard. Afridi said that according to economic survey tax to GDP is 9 percent, adding that there is also need of restructuring of Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).
About Fata, he said that the government should allocate maximum on education and employment for the people of Fata. He said that billion of rupees of Fata are lapsed due to not releasing on time. He urged the government to release funds timely for completing development project on time.
Abdul Ghafoor Chaudhry of PPP said the industries have been closed due to power shortage in the country. He said that the unemployment is also increasing due to loadshedding. "I am not seen any solid solution in the budget to alleviate loadshedding in next financial year. The government is not taking any step to reduce circular debt, line loses and electricity theft," he said.
He said, "Wapda has become white elephant, which is out of control of federal government. In this regard, the provinces have to play their role. There is 25 to 35 line loss in Sindh and similar case in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. There is 37 percent collection of electricity bills in the three province, while 99 percent collection from Punjab," he said.
Shagufta Sadiq of MQM said that the government should resolve the issue of energy crisis on war footing. She said that the budgetary deficit could be reduced by levying agricultural tax and bringing into tax net all incomes exceeding four hundred thousand rupees. She said that it is need to decrease levy on petroleum products and restructuring of PIA, Pakistan Railway, Pakistan Steels Mills and other institutions.
Abdul Ghani Talpur of PPP said that Pakistan has capacity to meet the demands of electricity. He said that the people are facing loadshedding due to mismanagement and corruption in WAPDA. He said that there is need to run power plants which have been closed and paying attention on Thar coal projects. Fiza Junejo of PMl-Q said that the government should paying heed to the Thar Coal projects and alternative sources of energy including solar and wind energy to overcome the prevailing energy crisis.