ISLAMABAD, Jun 09 (APP): Minister for Finance and Revenue Mohammad Ishaq Dar on Friday said that the government has earmarked Rs107 billion for bringing improvement in electricity generation, transmission and distribution systems in the budget.
Presenting the annual budget for the fiscal year 2023-24 in the National Assembly, the minister said that the country’s total electricity production stood at 41,000 megawatts (MW). Out of the total energy mix, the share of hydel stood at 25 per cent, he said.
He said in the current situation, it was imperative to enhance the share of Renewable Energy (RE) and indigenous sources in order to reduce the cost of electricity generation besides reducing the country’s imports.
He said bringing improvement in electricity distribution was also the government’s top priority. Special focus was given to electricity transmission, distribution system, promotion of RE and increase in water resources in the annual public sector development programme (PSDP) for the fiscal year 2023-24, he said.
The minister said an amount of Rs12 billion would be provided to the local coal power plant Jamshoro (1200 MW) in the next budget.
A sum of Rs 6 billion has also been allocated for the Pak-Tajikistan 500kV transmission line. Similarly, he said that Rs 5 billion has been specified in bringing improvement in National Transmission and Despatch Company NTDC), Rs 13 billion for power transmission from Sukki Kinari, Mahal and Kohala power plants.
APP/raz-zah-muk