PESHAWAR - Federal Minister for Water and Power Khwaja Muhammad Asif on Wednesday called on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervaiz Khattak and assured immediate resolution of power related problems in the province.
He was accompanied by KP Governor Sardar Mahtab Ahmad Khan while Chief Secretary Amjad Ali Khan, Provincial Minister Education Muhammad Atif Khan, Secretary Energy and Power Sahibzada Muhammad Saeed, Chief Executive PESCO Tariq Sadozai and other officials concerned of WAPDA were present on the occasion.
The federal minister said that all provincial issues regarding electricity would be bifurcated in three phases with the purpose of their swift resolution. He also praised the sacrifices of people and efforts of provincial government for providing necessary assistance to displaced persons of North Waziristan, adding Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is a frontline province in the war against terror and we would utilise all available resources to resolve issues being faced by its people.
During the meeting, it was concurred that electricity distribution system in Khyber Pakhtunhwa has been overloaded and it would be upgraded in first phase. It was told that work on five proposed grid stations in D.I.Khan, Khoat, Chakdara, Nowshera and Mansehra costing Rs3b would be started on emergent basis for improving the electricity system in the province and the work on these grid stations would be completed within twelve months.
Khwaja Asif also announced provision of funds in the regard and assured supply of electricity to province going by its quota after upgrading. It was stated that in the second phase, net hydel arrears consisting of Rs680 million arrears for Pehur High Level Canal and Rs7 billion capped arrears of net hydel profit would be given to the province.
It was further stated that amount is a part of provincial budget and according to the chief secretary the province faced a shortfall of amount of Rs60 billion this year. In third phase, it was decided that the federal govt would initiate all the pending hydropower projects in the province to produce inexpensive electricity.
During the meeting, it was also decided to resolve the issues of province regarding annual profit and additional arrears under the agreed formula. Khawaja Asif assured that he would meet Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and brief him about immediate resolution through proposed phases.
Chief Minister Pervez Khattak praised Federal Minister Khawaja Asif and Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Sardar Mahtab Ahmad and expressed the hope that the federal government would invest in hydropower sector of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for generation of inexpensive electricity.
He said it would have far-reaching impacts on overall national progress and development.