Punjab Energy Council has in the first phase given formal approval to a 100 megawatt solar energy project at Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park. These projects will start production from the beginning of next year. Besides solar energy, due attention will also be given to hydel power projects and the special committee set up for this purpose will present a comprehensive report in the next meeting. A strategy is being adopted to gradually switch agri tube-wells over to biogas and for this purpose subsidy will be given to the farmers. This programme will save diesel of billions of rupees.
Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif presided over a meeting of Punjab Energy Council which gave approval to these projects.
Provincial Ministers Sher Ali Khan, Mujtaba Shuja ur Rehman, Dr. Farrukh Javed, Members Provincial Assembly, Chief Secretary, Chairman Planning & Development, secretaries of concerned departments and senior officers were present. Addressing the meeting, Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif said that solution of energy crisis is a big challenge which the government has accepted and is attaching top priority to overcoming this problem. He said it is a fact that electricity is essential for development and prosperity of a country. He said that besides traditional methods, due attention is also being paid to generation of energy through alternative resources and in addition to setting up a separate Energy Department for the early implementation of energy projects, an Energy Council has also been established for this purpose. He said that two solar parks are being set up at Lal Sohanra and Din Garh in Bahawalpur and the foundation stone of Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park Lal Sohanra will soon be laid and initially two projects of 50 megawatt each will start production in the first quarter of next year. He said that planning has also been made for the supply of electricity from Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park to the national grid. He said that government is also concentrating on hydel power projects as there are vast opportunities of generation of hydel power in the province. Setting up a special committee headed by Chief Secretary, the Chief Minister said that this committee will review the letter of intent issued for hydel projects and present its report regarding the progress made in this regard. He said that no extension will be given in the letter of intent. The Chief Minister said that Punjab government has also evolved a programme of conversion of agri tube-wells on biogas which will save billions of rupees currently being spent on diesel. He said that government will also give subsidy to the farmers for the installation of these tube-wells. Shahbaz Sharif directed Chief Secretary to arrange a scientific study regarding biogas tube-wells and present a comprehensive mechanism in this regard in the next meeting. He said that extension wing of Agriculture Department has always been very important in the development of agriculture sector and this wing should be reactivated. He directed NTDC officials that after 100 megawatt power project they should immediately start work on the supply of 400 and 600 megawatt electricity to the national grid station. Earlier, Secretary Agriculture gave a detailed briefing regarding conversion of agri tube-wells to biogas while Secretary Energy briefed the meeting on the progress of Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park and 50- megawatt projects.