LAHORE: As many as 31,389 villages in Pakistan are yet to be electrified as 157, 203 out of 188,592 villages are electrified up to 30th June 2020, said the State of Industry Report 2020 issued by the power sector regulatory body of the country.

Interestingly, some 30,000 villages were reported as yet to be electrified back in May 2018 which suggests that no major progress has taken place over the last two year on this front. Both the Gujranwala Electric Supply Company (GEPCO) and the Faisalabad Electric Supply Company (FESCO) have electrified 96.87 percent and 95.50 percent villages respectively up to 30th June 2020.

According to the data of all 10 Distribution Companies (DISCOs) in the country, both the GEPCO and the FESCO are galloping fast in village electrification. Total number of villages in GEPCO jurisdiction is 7,854 out of which 7,608 are electrified. In FESCO, there are 27,916 villages out of which 26,661 are electrified until 30th June 2020. Interestingly, the Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO) and Tribal Areas Electric Supply Company (TESCO) are at the lowest ebb with 31.86 percent and 57.35 percent village electrification up to June 30, 2020.

There are 816 villages in IESCO jurisdiction out of which only 260 are electrified so far. On the other hand, a total of 277 villages are electrified out of 483 villages in TESCO region. In Quetta Electric Supply Company (QESCO), 88.34 percent villages are electrified, as 26,231 out of 29,692 villages are electrified. It is followed by Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) where 86.18 percent villages are electrified as the Company was able to reach up to 212 out of 246 villages till 30th June 2020. In Peshawar Electric Supply Company (PESCO), 80.43 percent villages are electrified, as 26,492 out of 32,940 villages are electrified.

In Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (PESCO) region, 80.58 percent villages are electrified. The number of villages in this region is 23,808 out of 19,181 are electrified. In Sukkur Electric Power Company (SEPCO), the company has covered 79.19 percent of rural areas with total number of villages 23,263 against 18,423 being covered by the company up to the cut-off date. In Multan Electric Power Company (MEPCO), there are 41,579 villages in total out of which 31,858 are electrified, which comes around 76.62 percent.

The report said the village electrification is an expensive process. While quoting the example of the government of Baluchistan, it said the energy department of the province has executed various schemes to provide electricity to villages in all districts of Baluchistan. Estimated cost of these village electrification schemes is Rs1,930.825 million.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020