CM Murad approves Rs4bn for providing solar systems to poor households

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has approved a Rs4 billion Solar Home System (SHS) scheme being launched with the assistance of the World Bank in 10 districts from next month.

He accorded this approval while presiding over a meeting of the Energy department.

The meeting was attended by Minister Energy Imtiaz Shaikh, Chief Secretary Mumtaz Shah, Chairperson P&D Shireen Narejo, PSCM Sajid Jamal Abro, Secretary Finance Hassan Naqvi, Secretary Health Kazim Jatoi, Secretary Energy Tariq Shah, PD SHS Shah Zaman Khuhro and other concerned.

Briefing the Chief Minister, Energy Minister Imtiaz Shaikh said that a Rs4 billion Solar Home System has been developed with the assistance of the World Bank.

Under the plan 20,000 households would be given SHS in 10 different districts of the province with a 50 percent subsidy.

The recipient of the SHS would have to pay 50 percent to the vendor while the remaining 50 percent would be paid by the government.

The 10 districts selected by the government include Badin, Ghotki, Jacobabad, Kashmore, Khairpur, Qambar-Shahdadkot, Sanghar, Tharparkar, Sujawal and Umerkot.

Imtiaz Shaikh said that prequalification of the SHS supplier/vendor has been selected in two districts, Sanghar and Khairpur.

CM Murad was told that under the SHS program, PV solar plates, Lithium-ion Battery, three LED bulbs, DC fan and one mobile charger port would be provided.

In each district, these SHS would be provided to 60 percent household units being headed by female and 50 percent by male households.

The Chief Minister directed the energy department to give preference to the poor people who were either living in the off-grid area or to those who could not afford to get power connection.

The Chief Minister approved the project and directed the Energy Minister to make arrangements for launching the project from next month.