Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar said on Thursday backward areas will be illuminated through solar energy and hundreds of villages will be provided solar energy in phases. Cholistan, Thal, Koh-e-Suleman and electricity-less areas would be top priority, he added.
He was presiding over a meeting to review steps relating to the off-grid solution. Similarly, water supply schemes, agricultural tube-wells and schools will also be gradually converted to solar energy.
He said that solar energy projects will be initially started in Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan, Koh-e-Suleman, Fort Munroe and Rajanpur. The off-grid solution is necessary to meet the growing energy needs and far-flung villages will be illuminated through it. It will also benefit the people and the government will save billions of rupees.
Similarly, waste-to-electricity projects are also being reviewed, he added. Provincial ministers Dr Akhtar Malik, Hashim Jawan Bakht, ACS (energy), secretaries of energy, finance, P&D departments and others attended the meeting.