Villages to be electrified by 2007 under PM’s Roshan Pakistan programme

ISLAMABAD—The Ministry of Water and Power is finalizing strategy to electrify all the remaining 30241 villages by December 2007 under Prime Minister’s Roshan Pakistan programme.
Sources said that Wapda has been asked to make arrangements to electrify 13000 villages during the current fiscal throughout the country under the allocation made by Prime Minister, and Khushal Pakistan Programmes. Out of the 13000, Wapda has been given target to electrify 9000 villages in Punjab, 1000 in Sindh, 1700 in NWFP, 1000 in Balochistan and 300 in Fata.
The Sources added that Wapda is facing some problems to electrify villages in Balochistan and Sindh due to their locality as thousands of villages are more than 20 km away from the main transmission lines and the grid station in Balochistan. The Ministry has suggested to electrify these identified villages through alternate source of energy, solar or wind energy. However, these villages will also be electrified by 2007 under the PMs Roshan Pakistan Programmes.
There are total 127568 villages in Pakistan and 90489 are electrified till 2004-05.There is 37079 villages are still un-electrified.
However, electrification work is in progress in 6838 villages which will be completed by December. The remaining 30241 would be completed by December 2007. There is no problem of funds in this regard and the Prime Minister has assured to provide funds under this programme to complete the target of electrification by 2007. The government is of the views that rural electrification is very effective element for economic uplift and poverty alleviation in rural areas.
To a question about additional demand of power due to these electrification, they said that work is being completed for establishing two thermal power stations of 900 MW by public sector and one of 300 MW by private sector. They stated that all projects will be completed by 2007 December and there will be no shortage.
They also informed that Wapda has been asked to set up a special cell for this programme and post a senior officer to report to the Ministry and the Prime Minister on monthly basis about rural electrification.—APP