The federal government is taking keen interest in the development of Northern Areas to bring it at par with other developed of the country and has launched various development projects including power schemes.
This was stated by NAPWD Secretary Works Brigadier Masoor Abbas, while talking to newsmen here on Thursday.
He said the Northern Areas had capacity to generate 5348-mw electricity for which sites had been identified by the Wapda, while NAPWD had pin pointed 12 such sites that could be utilised for generation of 55-mw electricity with the cost of 67.36 million dollars.
Brigadier Masood said that by 2006, 47-mw electricity could be produced with the completion of 15 ongoing power projects, which would facilitate NAPWD in overcoming the shortage of electricity in NAs.
He said northern areas required a total of 100-mw power for its needs, whereas only 44-mw power in summer season and 26-mwn/ger season were being generated, which was insufficient to meet its power needs.
He said that perishing power would be completed by 2006 with an estimated cost of Rs 200 million, which would produce six-mw power.
Brigadier Masood Abbas said work on an alternate road for district Astore was in progress, which would be completed within a year at the cost of Rs 15 million to facilitate the people and also promote tourism in the area.
He said that the project would not only overcome the shortage of electricity but also bring progress in the area.