Water, power sectors: 'Concrete steps to be taken to meet challenges'

Federal Minister for Water and Power, Syed Naveed Qamar has said that effective and concrete steps will be taken to meet the future challenges of water and power sectors. He said that all the resources will be utilised in order to encourage the investment in the power sector.
He made these remarks while presiding over the meeting of the Ministry and its allied departments after assuming the charge of the Ministry here on Monday. Additional Secretary of the Ministry, MD Private Power and Infrastructure Board (PPIB), Chairman Federal Flood Commission, Chairman IRSA, CEO IESCO and senior officials of the Ministry and AEDB participated. The Minister said that we all have to work hard to bring out the power sector from the crisis and all the matters should be resolved on priority basis. The Minister emphasised for evolving a comprehensive strategy to provide maximum relief to the people in the forthcoming summer season.
Earlier, the MD PPIB, N A Zuberi gave him a briefing on the private sector power projects. He informed that total 25 projects of 7900 MW are generating power in the private sector initiated by the PPIB since its inception. He said that during the last three years of the present government, nine projects of 1800 MW were commissioned while three projects of 600 MW will start generation within couple of months.
He added that 232 MW ship mounted Karkey power plant is on test run now a days and will start full generation by end of current month. He highlighted that the investor friendly environment has been provided to the investors by the PPIB under the able guidance of the Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and the President Asif Zardari.
The representative of the AEDB informed that various projects of alternative energy are under process as it has planned to generate 700 MW through alternative energy resources, which will be added in the national grid by 2015. The Chairman Federal Flood Commission, Chairman IRSA and CEO IESCO also briefed him on their respective departments and the ongoing projects.-PR