PHOTO: REUTERS
ISLAMABAD:
Finance Minister Ishaq Dar said on Friday the government had allocated Rs248 billion in the budget 2015-16 for completion of power projects to achieve its target of ending load-shedding by December 2017.
In his budget speech at the National Assembly, Dar gave details of the allocations of funds for different power projects and said Rs52 billion had been earmarked for the Dasu hydropower project.
The minister said that Rs21 billion had been earmarked for purchase of land for construction work of the 4,500MW Diamer Basha dam. He added that Rs11 billion each had been allocated for the 969MW Neelam-Jhelum project and the 1,410MW Tarbela-IV extension project, respectively.
About upgradation of the 747MW Guddu power project, Dar said Rs5 billion had been set aside in the budget for this project. Other power projects include two projects of 2,200MW Karachi coastal power, 600MW Chashma nuclear project, 1,05MW Golan Gol power project and installation of transmission line for wind power projects of Jhimpir and Gharo, Interconnection of Chashma nuclear III and IV, Interconnection facility for electricity import of CASA-1000, transmission of 2,160MW electricity from Dasu hydropower project, electricity transmission project of 1,320MW from Bin Qasim power plant and switching station and interconnection for Sukhi Kinari hydropower project.
The minister said that out of total budgetary allocations, Rs73 billion had been earmarked under the Public Sector Development Programme for the power sector. He expressed the confidence the completion of hydro, coal, wind and nuclear energy projects would improve the energy mix in the country and as a result consumers would get cheaper electricity.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 6th, 2015.
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