The Ministry of Water and Power has failed to translate the spirit of the prime minister's directive to facilitate the industry in the form of Rs 3/kwh decrease in the tariff of electricity exclusively for the industrial sector.
Quoting the recently issued SRO dated February, 04, 2016 by Ministry of Water and Power, Syed Zia Alamdar Hussain Senior Vice President Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI) said the prime minister was concerned over the continuous decline in exports despite of a sizable improvement in the economic indicators, including inflation and availability of capital for the industrial sector.
He said the prime minister was of well-considered opinion that price of electricity and gas should be brought down to make our exportable surplus competitive in the international markets. He said the prime minister took serious notice of the high cost of electricity and gas in Pakistan as compared to other regional countries and immediately issued directive to cut down the cost of electricity by Rs 3/kwh.
He said that the Fuel Adjustment Changes (FAC) was a separate head as this facility was already enjoyed by all consumers including industry. "Hence it was erroneously included in the determination of new and reduced tariff of electricity for the industrial sector", he claimed and said that Ministry of Water and Power should immediately correct this anomaly as the actual benefit given to the industrial sector is only Rs 0.92 as against Rs 3/kwh announced by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif excluding FAC.