PM calls for harnessing solar power for low-cost electricity


Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif says Pakistan has immense solar energy potential and it must be exploited to provide low-cost electricity to the farmers.

Presiding over a meeting of federal cabinet in Islamabad today, he said the finance ministry has been tasked to work out a business plan for solarization of a million tube wells in the country.

The Prime Minister said fifty billion rupees have been deducted from development budget to provide relief for three months to the electricity consumers using upto 200 units

He said the government has launched solarization of 28,000 tube wells in Balochistan to save bleeding of annual eighty billion rupees.

He also appreciated the Balochistan chief minister and other relevant ministries and departments for taking the project to the implementation stage.

The Prime Minister said time is running out fast and we are racing against time.

He also highlighted that Pakistan spends five billion dollars on freight of exports and imports but Pakistan National Shippin
g Corporation is running a fleet of just 12 ships while getting five billion for salaries.

The Prime Minister said the government has imposed taxes on the real estate sector to generate 100 billion rupees in revenue and to do away with a culture of tax evasion.

He reiterated his call for the ministers to work hard and sought plans from commerce and IT ministers to boost exports.

Source: Radio Pakistan