Federal Minister for Water and Power, Raja Pervez Ashraf on Monday said that all the resources will be utilised for timely completion of Diamer-Bhasha dam project to generate cheaper electricity for future requirements. He said this while presiding over a meeting to review the progress of Diamer-Bhasha dam project.
Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Northern Areas and Information, Qamar Zaman Kaira and Babar Awan, Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs also participated in the meeting. While addressing the meeting, the Minister for Water and Power said that the generation of 4500 MW cheap hydel power from Diamer-Bhasha dam will reduce the dependence on thermal power resulting saving of huge foreign exchange and make available 6.4 MAF of water for irrigation.
He said that the project would create massive infrastructure and job opportunities leading to the overall socio-economic uplift of the area. The Minister directed the Wapda authorities to follow the schedule to ensure timely completion of such a project of national importance.
Kaira said that the government is giving priority to all such mega projects and every effort is being made to make funds available for this important and national project. He asked the Wapda to early undertake the resettlement plan for the affectees of the dam in Northern Areas and NWFP.
Earlier, the Chairman Wapda briefed the meeting on the progress of the project and said that the ECNEC had approved the project for land acquisition and resettlement at a cost of about Rs 60 billion. He said that the Diamer-Bhasha dam would be the highest roller compacted concrete dam in the world having height of 272 meters. 323 KM of Karakoram Highway from Havelian to dam is to be upgraded by NHA for transportation of heavy machinery and equipments.
He said that design and feasibility study has been completed while the tenders have been invited for the construction of the project. He also informed the participants that the project is on schedule and will be completed within the prescribed time frame in 2016. He further stated that a very positive response from international financing institutions have been received for the project financing.
Earlier a five member delegation of Handel Services Consulting, Germany headed by Axel Pliefke, company CEO called on the Federal Minister for Water and Power, Raja Pervez Ashraf here on Monday and expressed their interest to invest in the wind power generation up to 500 MW.
The Minister welcomed the German investment and assured to encourage and facilitate the German investors and asked to submit detail proposal for wind power generation in Pakistan. The Minister said that Pakistan has great potential of 350,000 MW in wind power and the incentive based liberal policy will encourage the investment.-PR