ISLAMABAD: Dhabeji Special Economic Zone (DSEZ) will be supplied 250 MW of power by June 2024 with a delay of five years, a parliamentary panel was informed on Wednesday.

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) met on Wednesday which examined the audit report of the Ministry of Energy (Power Division) for the year 2021-22.

Member Committee Mushahid Hussain said the DSEZ came under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and initiated five years back and asked the reason for the delay in supplying electricity.The 1,530 acres of land has been allocated to establish DSEZ in Thatta. Development of DSEZ is planned in three phases. Dhabeji Industrial Zone has been proposed to be constructed in 2 phases comprising 750 acres for Phase I and 780 acres for Phase II.

Secretary Power Rashid Mahmood Langrial informed the committee that the task of the supply electricity was initially awarded to K-Electric and then asked Energy Division to carry out the task in 2020. The main reason for the delay was due to acquiring land for the installation of the grid and 104 km transmission lines. In the development expenditure of the Power Division for 2020-21, a grant of Rs 958 million was remained unutilised and not surrendered to the Finance Division in the given time frame. The secretary said the grant was surrendered on May 28, 2021, but Finance Division raised the objection and could not surrender in time. The chairman committee observed that the committee played a role in expediting the process of supply of electricity to the SEZ by engaging Sindh government and other stakeholders in acquiring land but still it could not be completed which resulted in escalating the cost of the project.

The committee also expressed its serious concern over around Rs 9 billion spending on free electricity annually to officers and lower staff of the Wapda and Discos when addition in circular debt in the current fiscal year will reach approximately Rs 590 billion. The secretary power said that a summary to discontinue the free electricity units to employees of the energy sector in the light of recommendations of the PAC was declined by the federal cabinet. Even the austerity committee endorsed the proposal and suggested for monetization of the free electricity units’ facility to officers.

The chairman committee directed the PAC secretariat to write a letter to the prime minister and to recommend him to not allow grade-16 and above officials to use free-of-cost electricity.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023