Cabinet moves to tackle line losses

Approves expansion of installation of advance meters project from Islamabad to other cities

ISLAMABAD:

The federal cabinet on Tuesday approved, in principle, the expansion of installation of advance meters project from Islamabad to other areas of the country to overcome the issue of line losses.

The cabinet in its meeting chaired by Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif also approved the installation of advance meters on power transformers.

The prime minister directed preparing a list of corrupt officers in the power distribution companies and deputing of well-reputed officers on different posts to improve the functioning of these companies, reduce the line losses, and ensure better public delivery.

He observed that such performing officers should be encouraged with appreciation and awards.

The cabinet was given a detailed briefing by the Power Division regarding electricity theft, line losses, and the comprehensive strategy to reduce them.

The meeting was also apprised of the power theft, line losses, bills and recovery in Discos with the presentation of all relevant data, besides, issues in the way of recovery from those feeders which had been running into losses and the steps and proposals in this regard.

The prime minister directed the Power Division to present in the next meeting a comprehensive report on the vacant posts of essential staff in Discos, stressing that the employment process should be transparent while bringing it at par with the best global practices.

Expressing his dissatisfaction over the average seven per cent line losses, the prime minister set up a committee headed by Minister for Defence Khawaja Asif for the formulation of a comprehensive plan to reduce the line losses average under phases and in line with global practices immediately, besides submission of recommendations to bring reforms in the power distribution companies.

Other members of the committee included Minister for Trade and Production Syed Naveed Qamar, Minister for Power Engineer Khurram Dastagir Khan, Minister for Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Shazia Marri, Minister of State for Petroleum Dr Musadik Malik, Minister for Science and Technology Agha Hassan Baloch, Minister for Housing Maulana Abdul Wasay, PM’s Adviser Engineer Amir Muqam and the secretary power. The committee, after holding consultation, would present a comprehensive strategy before the cabinet after a fortnight.

The cabinet also approved the recommendation of the Power Division for the promotion of low-cost solar power energy initiatives throughout the country to replace the import of costly fuel.

These steps included running of the existing power units on solar energy during the day time instead of using costly imported fuel, grant of permission to the private investors on a small level to install 11kV feeders in the rural areas and shifting of the government-owned buildings on solar energy system.

The prime minister informed the cabinet about his visit to Kazakhstan, saying that during his participation in international conferences including Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the United Nations General Assembly session and most recently in Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) during the months of September and October, he held detailed meetings with the leaders of the Central Asian Republics (CARs).

During these meetings, he said the agriculture commodities, gas, rail, road, infrastructure and linkages, besides energy corridors were discussed and it was decided that soon Pakistan would host a Central Asian States summit in Islamabad in which the decisions over the establishment of rail, road and energy corridors linking Gwadar and Karachi ports with the CARs would be taken in principle.

Moreover, under the recommendations of the subcommittees set up by the prime minister, a comprehensive plan over these linkages would be presented on the occasion.