ISLMABAD: State Minister for Water and Power Chaudhary Abid Sher Ali on Friday informed the Senate that outstanding electricity dues against agriculturists in Balochistan have surged to Rs.122 billion.
Presenting periodical report regarding non-implementation of the decision taken by the CM and 'Zimindar' Action Committee through which the QESCO was bound to provide electricity to agriculturists for 8 hours at Rs.10,000 monthly bill, the minister said that the government had announced subsidy on electricity connection for tube wells being used for agriculture.
It was decided that 40-60 per cent subsidy would be provided by federal and provincial governments respectively, he added.
The minister said that in 2010, the government withdrew the decision and subsidy. However, in 2012 again the then prime minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gillani restored the subsidy, he added.
He said that the Prime Minister had setup a committee under the chair of Khawaja Muhammad Asif to devise a formula for provision of electricity to the tube wells.
He said the committee decided that 8 hour power would be supply to the tube-wells at Rs.10,000/ monthly bill for around 31,000 agri connections. But it was also included in mechanism that only 30 horsepower power motors would be used.
The minister said that daily 8 hours power supply to tube-wells having 30 horsepower motors cost Rs.75,000 monthly. However, some agriculturists have installed 60 horsepower motors resulting discontinuation of the power supply.
Abid said that now a committee was setup with CM Balochistan in chair to sort out running of 60 horsepower motors instead of 30 horsepower.
He said that the committee would prepare its report by October 2 and the House would also be informed about further development.
Meanwhile, the House also admitted adjournment motion regarding production of spurious and substandard medicines in the country moved by Shahi Syed.
Chairman Senate Raza Rabbani referred the Islamabad Subordinate Judiciary Service Tribunal Bill 2015 to the concerned standing committee for deliberation on the request of leader of the Opposition in Senate Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan.
State Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Jam Kamal moved the bill on behalf of minister for Law, Justice and Human Rights Pervaiz Rashid in the House.
Jam Kamal also laid the Annual Report of the National Commission on the Status of Women for the year 2013 in the Senate on behalf of the Minister for Law, Justice and Human Rights.
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