PM Shehbaz launches solarisation project of agri tube wells in Balochistan

QUETTA: Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif on Monday launched a landmark initiative regarding the solarisation of 28,000 agricultural tube wells in Balochistan in collaboration with provincial government, ARY News reported.

An agreement was signed between the Federal and the Balochistan governments for shifting of electricity run tube wells to solar powered mechanism in Quetta today. PM Shehbaz, along with federal ministers, Governor of Balochistan, the Chief Minister, and members of the provincial cabinet witnessed the signing of the agreement.

Speaking on the occasion, the prime minister said under the agreement, a total of 28,000 agricultural tube wells in the province would be shifted to solar system within three months.

He said the federal government would provide 70 percent funds while 30 percent would be contributed by the provincial government for Rs55 billion solarisation project. The prime minister tasked the chief minister to complete the solarisation project within in three months.

He opined that the completion of project would ensure prosperity of the farmers and bring a large area of cultivable land under farming, adding that with functioning of the solar powered tube wells, the farmers would get uninterrupted power supply throughout the day.

During his address to the provincial cabinet, he termed the agreement as ‘a deep structured change’ firmly rooted in the government’s conceived reforms agenda, he said that a huge sum of Rs500 billion would be saved form going down the drain.

The prime minister said that the federal government would be absolve of paying Rs80-90 billion burden which was provided as subsidy to the province due to non-payment of bills and still the farmers community was getting 2 to 6 hours power supply.

With the solarisation process, the issue would be resolved forever, he expressed the hope.

The prime mister said that throughout the world, the utilisation of solar capacity was tapped for generation of environment friendly power which was considered as the inexpensive source of power.

He said that the government was taking steps on priority basis for the provision of solar power and assured that the federal government would work closely with the provincial government for the uplift of the province.

PM Shehbaz said that they had reserved 10 percent of additional quota for the students of province in a batch of 1,000 graduate students being sent to China on government scholarships to seek the latest training in the agriculture sector.

While 10 percent additional quota for the students of Balochistan was also allocated in the training programme to be imparted by Huawei to 3,00,000 students in IT sector, he added.

He further informed that the federal government had already set aside funds in the fiscal budget for Danish schools in the province, adding that they were keen to broaden Danish schools to the divisional level so that students in the entire province could be benefitted from the education facility.

The prime minister said that when the young people of Balochistan were equipped with the latest education, the country and province would move on path of progress.

The premier also appreciated ideas and efforts of the chief minister and said the today’s signing of agreement was part of the reforms agenda and collective efforts made by the federal and provincial governments for the progress and prosperity of the country.

The prime minister also apprised that a total of 1 million agricultural tube wells throughout the country would also be converted on solar power and would save a sum of $3.5 billion on import bills of fuel, thus saving precious and limited resources of the country.

The model for the upcoming project would be introduced soon which would be ‘a quantum jump’, he added.

He regretted that the injustices were done with the debt ridden country in the last many decades and if they had not taken drastic steps for the economic turnaround, the coming generations would not forgive them.

PM Shehbaz Sharif noted that it was his first visit to the province after the formation of new government.

He said Balochistan was a very important province of the country and if it was lagging behind in terms of development, there were various reasons, adding Pakistan’s progress was linked with the development of province.

The prime minister said that Punjab province had also allocated a part of its NFC share to the development of Balochistan, adding about Rs150-160 billion had been provided to province so far.

The prime minister said that nothing was impossible to achieve in this world though there might be difficulties but the developed nations emerged successful after overcoming different challenges with collective efforts.

He said Gwadar would become the biggest income resource for the province and China was ready to transform it into a global hub of trade.

The prime minister also expressed the resolve to root out the scourge of terrorism from the province.