DISCOs Directed To Complete Ongoing Village Electrification Without Further Delay

The National Assembly Standing Committee on Power Division Thursday directed all power distribution companies (DISCOs) to complete the ongoing village electrification schemes without further delay for which funds had already been released by the federal government

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 8th Dec, 2022 ) :The National Assembly Standing Committee on Power Division Thursday directed all power distribution companies (DISCOs) to complete the ongoing village electrification schemes without further delay for which funds had already been released by the Federal government.

The committee, which met with Sardar Riaz Hussain Mazari in the Chair, took serious note of the delay in the procurement of material despite available financial resources.

The Committee, while discussing the delay in the completion of village electrification schemes, showed displeasure with the lethargic attitude of the officials concerned.

The committee outrightly rejected the plea of the DISCOS attributing those delays to COVID-19.

The Committee members were of the view that all those responsible should be taken to task. The Committee also directed the inclusion of other companies supplying material for electrification to meet the shortage of material and built healthy competition among the companies in the field.

The Committee, after a briefing by the Additional Secretary Cabinet Division on electrification schemes under SDGs, was of the view that necessary funds need to be reallocated for ensuring the completion of the ongoing schemes. T The Committee decided to approach Steering Committee on SDGs to allow re-appropriating funds to those schemes on which more than 50 percent of the work had already been completed.

The Additional Secretary Cabinet Division apprised the Committee about the procedure for approval of schemes and allocation of funds therefor.

He informed that Rs 8.1 billion had been released by the Cabinet Division for electrification schemes to Power Division.

The Committee, while discussing charging taxes and tv fees in bills of mosques and places of worship of other religions, recommended the government should charge the cost of electricity only.

The matter was referred to the Committee moved by Maulana Abdul Akbar Chitrali, MNA regarding the charging of taxes in electricity bills of mosques.

The Committee also recommended reconsideration of the board of Directors of Sukkur Electric Supply Company. The matter was referred to the Committee moved by MNA Ghous Bux Khan Mehar.

CEO Guddu power plant apprised the Committee about the performance of the power company. The Committee appreciated the performance of the company.

The Committee also appointed a sub-committee under the Convenorship of Syed Ghulam Mustafa Shah to discuss and submit recommendations for measures to increase the use of solar energy, proposed amendments in NEPRA Net metering rules impeding conversion to solar power besides issues of electrification in areas under K-Electric and SEPCO.

The Committee meeting was attended by Minister for Power Khurrum Dastgir, MNAs Saira Bano, Syed Ghulam Mustafa Shah, Sardar Arfan Dogar, Dr Afzal Khan Dhandla, Muhammad Sajjad, Ghous Bux Mehar, Dr Mehreen Razzak Bhutto, Maulana Abdul Akbar Chitrali, Secretary Power Division, CEOs of DISCOs and other senior officers of the concerned departments.