Gandapur’s solar initiative in KP faces setback

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government’s Rs13 billion project to provide free solar systems to citizens has hit a major snag due to bureaucratic hurdles, high rates and serious violations of procurement rules.

The Pakhtunkhwa Energy Development Organisation (Pedo) has completed the tendering process for the project even before the official approval of the PC-I, which not only constitutes a clear violation of official procedures but also raises serious questions about the transparency and legality of the entire scheme. The PC-I has been pending with the Provincial Development Working Party (PDWP) for the last three months, and no approval has been granted so far. The officials concerned are accused of derailing the solar project despite initial endorsement.

Sources close to the P&D additional chief secretary said that he has shown serious reservations over the advance tendering process without the formal approval of PC-1. The PDWP believes that the rates for various items included in PC1 are too high.

Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur officially launched the “Solarisation of Homes” initiative on March 6, 2025, and even conducted a lottery draw for beneficiary selection before the PC-I was approved.

The project was first announced by CM Gandapur on August 12, 2024, to provide free solar systems to low-income families across the province. The initiative was planned in two phases—Phase I with an estimated cost of Rs7.5 billion for the free provision of solar units, and Phase II with Rs5.5 billion for subsidised solar systems to be paid in easy installments. On August 15, 2024, the chief minister launched the model design and online registration portal. Under Phase I, 32,500 households were to receive free solar systems, while in Phase II, another 32,500 families were to get subsidised systems on installment plans.

Pedo issued tenders in December 2024, inviting both technical and financial proposals. These were opened on January 16, 2025. However, a senior KP PRA official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that the core dispute between Pedo and the PDWP lies in the premature tendering, which was initiated without PC-I approval—a clear violation of rules. He emphasised that no procurement process can begin without anticipatory approval from the competent authority, which, in this case, is the additional chief secretary. Moreover, under anticipatory approval, only the initiation of the process is allowed—not the opening of financial bids or declaring any contractor as successful, which Pedo did.

KP Secretary of Energy and Power Zubair Khan, who is now on senior management course, told this correspondent that the PC-I has been with the PDWP for three months, and though technical and financial proposals were opened under the law, no contract has yet been awarded. He said the P&D officials were involved in the process from the beginning. “If they had objections, they could have stopped it earlier,” he added. He stated that all objections raised by the P&D department have been addressed, and, once the PC-I is approved, the project will proceed. Otherwise, the PC-I will be revised as per objections, and the tendering process restarted.

The PDWP meeting for approval of the mega project was held on 22nd of April with a delay of three months. However, the project was deferred on reasons of the higher estimated cost and the process before formal approval.

When contacted, the Energy & Power department and Pedo project authorities it was said that the process of hiring contractors had started upon the direction of the chief minister and under the KP PRA Act, section 22, on part of anticipatory approval by the technical committee constituted by the minister finance on 2nd of October, 2024.

It is also surprising that the P&D member was part of all the proceedings being a member of the technical committee, but neither the observation on the advance proceeding was recorded nor the process was hindered. Whereas the PDWP annulled the process on these grounds.