Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has said that provincial government is taking concrete and comprehensive steps to overcome energy crisis, so that people can be provided relief. At the same time, he said, all out encouragement is being extended to promote private investment for generation of electricity. He was presiding over a high-level meeting held at Minar-e-Pakistan Tent Office, here Thursday.
Shahbaz Sharif said that general public, industrialists, labourers and farmers are equally worried over painful loadshedding of electricity as life itself has become miserable due to energy crisis. He said that industrial and agriculture sectors of Punjab are being severely damaged due to paucity of electricity and gas. He said that provincial government has chalked out a comprehensive energy plan and is endeavouring to provide additional resources for energy sector so that energy needs are met in industrial, agriculture and domestic sectors.
He said that Provincial Energy Department is pursuing an active energy policy, in collaboration with all stake holders and private sector is being motivated to fully benefit from investment opportunities in energy sector. Mohammad Shahbaz Sharif directed that development work being carried out to generate energy from different sources including solar energy, biogas and coal should be further accelerated.
He said that provision of land for future energy projects ought to be made a part of energy policy of provincial government. He said that 8,500 tube-wells in the province are operating on diesel, whereas operating these tube-wells on bio-gas would benefit farmers a great deal. Chief Minister Punjab directed that small farmers, upto agricultural land holding of 12.5 acres, ought to be provided special facility, under the policy of operating tube-wells on bio-gas.
He further said that providing necessary information and technology to the farmers in acquisition of energy through bio-gas would bring about revolution in the rural economy, resulting in prosperity of farmers, besides meeting increasing needs for electricity. Chief Minister directed that citizens living in urban areas should be provided solar panels at concessionary rates for domestic use, so that common citizens, who are fed up with loadshedding, can meet their requirement of electricity. Terming the proposed scheme of provision of solar panels as important steps towards the betterment of down-trodden segments of the society, Chief Minister said that with this scheme, citizens and immersed in darkness would enjoy the facility of light.
Chief Minister directed that energy department ought to chalk out a comprehensive strategy to utilise large resources of silica found in Kamar Mashani area in Mianwali. He said investment in energy sector, would help put an end to painful loadshedding besides generating employment opportunities and strengthening of national economy. Chief Minister said that provincial government is actively working in energy sector which will help in improving provincial economy as well. The meeting was attended by Provincial Ministers Chaudhry Abdul Ghafoor, Malik Ahmad Ali Aulakh, MPAs, Chairman Planning and Development, Provincial Secretaries and experts in agriculture and energy sectors. The secretaries of energy, agriculture and mineral departments briefed the meeting about various steps being taken for development of energy sector.