The new exploration schemes would be executed with an estimated cost of Rs 42. 3 million, official sources told APP.

Answering a question, they said this year an amount of Rs 148 million had been allocated to carry out a survey for underground water in Quetta to facilitate citizens.

They said, the Petroleum Division would spend around Rs 554.291 million, under the PSDP, to execute four ongoing and two new projects to step up exploration activities of natural resources for achieving self-reliance in the energy sector.

The sources said an amount of Rs 415.807 million had been earmarked to acquire four drilling rigs and their accessories for the Geological Survey of Pakistan.

While, Rs 37.977 million would be spent on appraisal of newly discovered coal resources in Badin and its adjoining areas of Southern Sindh.

Similarly, Rs 3.492 million have been reserved for exploration of Tertiary Coal in the Central Salt Range of Punjab.

The funds amounting to Rs 8.992 million would be utilized for exploration and evaluation of metallic and minerals in Bela and Uthal areas of district Lasbella, Balochistan.