Diamer-Bhasha Dam: process of land acquisition to be completed this year: minister

Minister of State for Water and Power Abid Sher Ali has said that the process of land acquisition for Diamer-Bhasha Dam will be completed this year and construction work would start next year. The minister told this to the National Assembly on Monday while replying to supplementary questions of the members.
He said that negotiations are underway with different banks for financing of the project but the government is resolved to fund it from its own resources if no financing was available. He said that China did not offer financial assistance to Pakistan for the construction of Diamer-Basha Dam.
He said that the electricity of 9000MW to 10000MW would be added to the national grid station by 2018. He said that power load shedding in the country would be overcome at the end of 2018. Answering to a question about Nandipur Power Project, the minister said that this project is generating 425MW of electricity. He said that many projects of power generation are on-going and most of the projects would be completed in 2017.
He said work on Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project is in full swing and the project is expected to start generation by August next year. In written reply to a question, the minister said that the source of energy produced from various resources along with generation cost is as follows: hydel cost of generation Rs 1.78/unit, gas Rs 7.97/unit, nuclear Rs 8.33/unit, IPPs Rs 9.06/unit, import from Iran Rs 10.49/unit, RFO Rs 11.74/unit, biogases Rs 11.78/unit, Coal Rs 12.06/unit, wind Rs 14.31/unit, HSD Rs 18.61/unit and solar generation Rs 22.81 unit.
Parliamentary Secretary for Health Dr Darshan also informed the House that branded Sovaldi tablets for oral treatment of Hepatitis C and its generics are registered in the country. He said that since the devolution of Ministry of Health in 2011, four hepatitis control programmes are working for the prevention and control of viral hepatitis in the country. These programmes are under the administrative control of provincial health departments and have their own PC1s. There is no hepatitis control programme at federal level.
He said that the prices of Hepatitis medicines have been fixed by the ministry. The prices of these medicines are Hepatitis C: Sovaldi 400mg tablets (Ferozsons) (Originator brand from Gilead USA), Rs 38,000/28's Sofosbuvir 400mg tablets (Generics). The Parliamentary Secretary said that the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan, Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Co-ordination is trying its best level to make these drugs available for patients in Pakistan at minimum possible level and the steps have been taken as (i) Generics of sofosbuvir tablets have been registered at maximum retail price of Rs 5,868/28's which is lowest in the world.
He said that these generic drugs are available at approved MRP or at lower prices which will increase competition to help availability of this drug at affordable prices, (ii) the Ministry of NHSR&C was instrumental to get new hepatitis-C drug "Sovaldi tablets" for Pakistani patients at subsidised rates under Patient Access Programme by M/s Gilead Sciences, USA for developing countries.
In USA it is available at $1000 per tablet while Pakistan was given a subsidised price of US 11-12 dollars which is almost 100 times subsidised. Replying to a question, Parliamentary Secretary for National Food Security Rajab Ali informed that under Prime Minister's Kissan Package, around 28 subsidy claims for October and November last year amounting to over eight billion rupees have been paid to phosphatic fertiliser manufacturers and commercial importers.