No delay will be tolerated in power projects: Shahbaz Sharif

Lahore: Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has said that coping with energy crisis is essential for accelerating trade and industrial activities and resolving the problem of poverty and unemployment.

He was presiding over a high level meeting here today to review progress on energy projects. Federal Minister for Water and Power Khawaja Muhammad Asif especially attended the meeting.

The Chief Minister said that energy crisis has badly affected education, industry, agriculture, health and other sectors. However, he said, PML-N government, immediately after coming into power, started taking effective measures for resolving this issue as it was essential for national development. He said that PML-N government, headed by Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, is making all out efforts for coping with energy problem and ridding the people of load-shedding.

He said that Pakistan Muslim League-N government, led by Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, is working round the clock to overcome shortage of electricity. He said that ridding the people of load-shedding is the mission of the government.

He said that agreements signed with local and foreign power companies are being implemented speedily. He said that every moment of the nation is precious and no delay will be tolerated in the execution of energy projects.

Shahbaz Sharif said that a number of power projects have been started in the country and collective efforts are needed to overcome this problem. He said that power projects of 1000 megawatts will be set up at Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park Bahawalpur while a solar project of 100 megawatts will be completed by December this year. He said that Punjab government has taken a lead by laying foundation stone of the first solar project in the country while work is also being carried out speedily on a number of coal-based power generation projects with the cooperation of China.

The Chief Minister said that foundation stone of two power plants of 660 megawatts to be operated with coal will be laid in Sahiwal during the current month while work is in progress round the clock on Nandipur Power Project which will be inaugurated by the end of current month.

The Chief Minister directed concurred departments to complete the process of upgradation of grid and transmission lines side by side with the execution of power projects so that there should not be any hurdle in the supply of electricity to the national grid. He directed that work should be undertaken under a comprehensive mechanism for the timely completion of power projects and federal and provincial departments should work in a coordinated manner for the expeditious completion of energy projects.

Federal Minister for Water and Power Khawaja Muhammad Asif said that Chief Minister Punjab Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif is making commendable efforts for resolving energy crisis. He said that solar power projects will be greatly helpful in overcoming shortage of electricity. He said that all institutions of Ministry of Water and Power will extend maximum cooperation to Punjab government.

Provincial Minister for Agriculture, Dr. Farrukh Javed, Minister for Minerals Sher Ali Khan, Chief Secretary, acting Chairman NEPRA, Additional Chief Secretary Energy, Managing Director PEPCO, MD NTDC, concerned secretaries and senior officials of federal and provincial departments attended the meeting.