‘Energy crisis to be resolved by 2018’

LAHORE
Provincial Minister for Excise and Taxation, Law and Finance Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman on Thursday said the Punjab government would overcome energy crisis by 2018 for which solar, coal and LNG power projects were being set up in the province.
The work on Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park was also in process and the production would be enhanced to 1,000MW during the next year, Mujtaba added.
Addressing a press conference regarding the ‘Punjab Growth Strategy’ at 90-Shara-e-Quaid-e-Azam, he said the provincial government would provide one million job opportunities every year for poverty alleviation and raising the living standard of people, adding that vocational training would be imparted to two million graduates by 2018.
He said the exports of Punjab would be increased to 15 per cent and the growth rate to 8 per cent.
Mujtaba said the Millennium Development Goals would be achieved by 2018, adding that the increase in the salaries of government employees would be made after federal budget.
He said improvement in law and order situation was essential for economic development and providing an attractive atmosphere to investors, adding that the sit-ins politics had caused huge loss to investment.
The minister said the Punjab government had made tremendous achievement on the subject and the law and order situation in Punjab was better than other provinces, resulting in increased private sector investment.
He said 71 per cent development budget had been used up to April 30, which would be 95 per cent at the end of financial year.
The provincial minister said most of the population of the province lived in villages; therefore, policies were being formulated by focusing agriculture and livestock sectors for maximum development.
Dr Ayesha Ghaus Pasha said the Punjab government’s mission was to improve quality of life for which public-private partnership was being promoted.
Dr Ayesha Ghaus Pasha added that vocational training was being provided to youth according to the needs of the local industry so that jobs could be provided to the maximum people.
Replying to a question, Mujtaba said besides two coal-based power projects, the Punjab government was also setting up 1,200 MW LNG-powered units, adding that $22 billion out of a total of $46 billion of Chinese investment were only for energy projects.
He said the government was also providing a subsidy of Rs 7 billion to the needy people on flour, transport, medicines and other treatment facilities, adding that the government would also provide relief to the CNG filling station owners.