Billions set aside for tribal grid

Govt aims to modernise electricity network across merged districts

PESHAWAR:

The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa provincial government has decided to allocate billions of rupees in the next fiscal year's budget for the improvement and expansion of the electricity transmission and distribution system in the merged tribal districts.

The move is aimed at bringing these long-neglected areas into the national mainstream while generating new employment opportunities through industrial and tourism development.

A special meeting to review ongoing power sector development projects and discuss new proposals was held under the chairmanship of Secretary Energy and Power Nisar Ahmed. Chairman Board of Tribal Areas Electric Supply Company (TESCO) Engineer Naeem Khan, Chief Executive TESCO Engineer Tahir Jamal, and senior officers of the department attended the meeting.

The meeting reviewed in detail the progress of various development projects being executed with provincial government funds to upgrade the electricity network in the merged tribal districts, Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber, Orakzai, and both North and South Waziristan.

During the meeting, TESCO Board Chairman Engineer Naeem Khan agreed to allocate Rs300 million for new schemes aimed at improving the electricity network in the merged districts during the next fiscal year.

Secretary Energy and Power Nisar Ahmed expressed concern over the precarious law and order situation in the tribal areas but appreciated the encouraging recovery targets achieved by the TESCO administration in electricity bill collections. He assured full cooperation and support from the Energy and Power Department for the successful implementation of power sector projects in the region.