ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has constituted a high level taskforce to prepare short-term plan to promote use of solar energy in domestic sector and conversion of government buildings to solar power. The taskforce would present its recommendations within one week.

According to a notification, issued by Secretary to Prime Minister, Tauqir Shah, in line with Prime Minister’s vision for promoting sustainable and green energy, the Prime Minister has constituted a taskforce on Solar Energy, comprising of the following: (i) Shahid Khaqan Abbasi (Convener); (ii) Dr. Miftah Ismail, Minister for Finance & Revenue; (iii) Ahsan lqbal, Minister for Planning, Development & Special Initiatives; (iv) Marriyum Aurangzeb, Minister for information & Broadcasting; (v) Khurram Dastgir Khan, Minister for Power; (vi) Musadik Masood Malik, Minister of State for Petroleum; (vii) Ahad Khan Cheema (ex-bureaucrat); (viii) Secretary Power - Secretary of the taskforce; (ix) Secretary Petroleum; (x) Chief Secretaries of Provinces; (xi) Secretaries Energy of Provinces; (xii) Bilal Kiyani; and (xiii) Omar Saleem Cheema.

The taskforce shall have the following Terms of Reference (ToRs): (i) preparation of short term plan for shifting of Government offices to solar energy; and (ii) preparation of plan for shifting the small consumers to solar energy through subsidy or concessional loans.

The taskforce shall finalize its proposals/ recommendations and place them before the Prime Minister in the shape of a presentation within a period of one week, positively. Power Division shall provide Secretariat support to the Task Force.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022