PM vows to convert farm tube wells to solar energy

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday vowed that after Balochistan, the federal government would also work in collaboration with the governments of Punjab, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for conversion of agricultural tubewells to solar energy.

Chairing a meeting on solarisation of agriculture tubewells and anti-power theft campaign at the PM House, the prime minister highlighted that solar energy was the cheapest source of producing electricity, therefore, promoting it had become the government’s top priority.

He directed relevant authorities to prepare a comprehensive strategy after consultation with the provincial governments on conversion of agricultural tubewells to solar energy in the provinces.

In the meeting, the prime minister was told that shifting diesel-powered agricultural tubewells to eco-friendly solar energy would save $2.7 billion in foreign exchange. He also instructed to formulate a comprehensive plan to further improve electricity theft prevention measures.

The prime minister, appreciating the provincial governments for their cooperation with the Power Ministry to prevent electricity theft, directed the authorities concerned to present a comprehensive plan to introduce smart metering system in the country. He said over-billing in the electricity bills would not be tolerated.

The meeting was informed that during the anti-electricity theft campaign, since September 2023, some 74,366 people had been arrested, 174,562 FIRs had been registered, 46 Disco employees had been suspended and 421,460 cases had been filed across the country. The meeting was further told that recently some 1,113 new electricity meters were installed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and around 12,000 illegal connections were removed.

Separately, chairing a meeting, the prime minister directed the authorities concerned to prepare an action plan for the privatisation of Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Cooperation (Passco). The prime minister also instructed to carry out the restructuring of Wheat Board, which should include representatives of farmers, land information management system and Passco.

He asked the relevant authorities to formulate an alternate strategy for wheat procurement by the federal government and hold consultation with the provincial governments and also those of Gilgit Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, as well as relevant departments. The participants of the meeting were briefed about the ToRs and restructuring of the Wheat Board, and also on increasing crops yield as well as reforms in Passco.

Meanwhile, in a meeting with Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, the prime minister directed him to enhance security coordination with the provinces besides Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, especially for Youm-e-Ashur.