Govt’s Long-term Planning To Boost Energy Sector, Benefit People; Says Governor

MUZAFFARGARH, (Muzaffargarh.City – 8th Jul, 2021 ) :Punjab Governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar Thursday said that long term planning was being pursued to benefit people directly and help them to come out from previous regimes’ erroneous energy policies.

He expressed these views while inaugurating projects for solarization of schools, district headquarters hospital and basic health units at local circuit house.

Erroneous energy policies of the past governments left the ordinary people and industry suffering under higher power tariff pressure, Governor said.

People and mills owners were made to pay electricity bills under higher tariff as the past governments overlooked wind, solar and hydel power and instead focused only on costly resources like gas, coal and oil, he added.

He said that government was fully aware of the fact that country’s development hinged on agriculture and launched farmers-friendly packages worth billions to make farmers self reliant.

He said that Rs 1800 wheat support price and sale of sugarcane at Rs 200-250 per Maund largely benefited the farming community financially.

He said, government set up Aab Pak Water Authority for provision of clean drinking water. He added that government was working on 3000 schemes for provision of clean drinking water to 15 million people in Punjab. Government was also mobilizing non-governmental organizations under the initiative and the clean drinking water would be available to 7.5 million people by the end of ongoing year.

Sarwar said that faulty water filtration plants would be made functional again adding that work on five plants has been completed while work on sixteen others was in progress in Muzaffargarh.

He said that MPAs would point out areas where water filtration plants were needed adding that six plants would be installed in each provincial constituency.

Later, while talking to newsmen, Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar said that work on China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was in progress at a fast pace adding that it will prove to be an important milestone for the country’s march to development.

He said that government would soon overpower price hike and provide relief to the people.

He said that government was strengthening institutions for country’s development.

Punjab energy minister Dr. Akhtar Malik said that a 150 KW solar system was being installed at DHQ hospital at a cost of Rs 14 million while 1342 out of 1372 schools have already been shifted to solar system at a cost of Rs 735 million. Moreover, 72 basic health units were also being solarized at a cost of Rs 31.5 million.

Minister said that all THQ hospitals, universities, prisons, shrines, Dar ul Aman and other office buildings would be shifted to solar power.

Energy minister disclosed that a Solar Research Center was being set up at Bahauddin Zakariya University (BZU) Multan to make systems more efficient and overpower loadshedding.

Punjab agriculture minister Syed Hussain Jahanian Gardezi, PTI leaders and officials were present.