CM approves Rs4bn scheme to provide solar power to people of 10 districts

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has approved a solar home system (SHS) programme worth Rs4 billion to be launched with the assistance of the World Bank in 10 districts of the province next month.

The CM accorded his approval for the programme while presiding over a meeting of the energy department on Saturday.

Briefing the meeting, Sindh Energy Minister Imtiaz Shaikh said the project had been developed with the assistance of the World Bank. Under the project, 20,000 households would be provided solar-based power in 10 districts of the province with a 50 per cent subsidy on the cost of the system.

The recipient of the SHS would have to pay 50 per cent cost of the system to the vendor of the project while the remaining 50 per cent of the amount would be paid by the provincial government.

The 10 districts selected by the government include Badin, Ghotki, Jacobabad, Kashmore, Khairpur, Kamber-Shahdadkot, Sanghar, Tharparkar, Sujawal and Umerkot.

Shaikh said the prequalification for the SHS vendor had been selected in two districts of Sanghar and Khairpur.

The meeting was told that under the SHS programme, PV solar plates, lithium-ion Battery, three LED bulbs, DC fan and one mobile charger port would be provided to every recipient household of the scheme.

A total of 60 per cent of the SHC recipient households in each district would be those headed by a female The CM directed the energy department to give preference to the poor who were either living in the off-grid areas or those who could not afford to get power connections.

The CM approved the project and directed the energy minister to make arrangements for launching the project next month. The meeting was also attended by Chief Secretary Mumtaz Shah, Planning & Development Board Chairperson Shireen Narejo, Principal Secretary to CM Sajid Jamal Abro, Finance Secretary Hassan Naqvi, Health Secretary Kazim Jatoi, Energy Secretary Tariq Shah, SHS Project Director Shah Zaman Khuhro and others.