ISLAMABAD, April 8: Major reforms are being initiated by the government to improve the working and profitability of the power sector, Minister for Water, Power, Kana & Safron Aftab Sherpao said.
He expressed these views in a meeting with Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz and Wapda chairman Tariq Hameed here on Thursday.
The meeting was held to discuss the financial aspects of water and power sector in the country. Those who attended the meeting included Private Power and Infrastructure Board (PPIB) managing director Zafar Ahmed Khan, Additional Secretary Water and Power Riaz Ahmed Khan and other officials of both the ministries and Wapda.
Mr Sherpao said the power sector needed to be restructured so that its efficiency might be enhanced. He said steps were being taken to enhance power generation, improve transmission and distribution, and reduce line losses.
He stressed the need for generation of electricity through indigenously available resources and asked the PPIB managing director to help investors in power sector. The country needs to enhance its power generation capacity to cope with the increasing electricity needs of its growing economy and future requirements, he added.
Mr Sherpao also discussed with the finance minister the electrification process in the country. The government wants to provide all the under-developed areas with the basic necessities of life, especially electricity. "Electricity provides the basic impetus for a number of economic and social activities contributing towards socio-economic development of the country," he added.
The meeting reviewed the electrification process in the country and the steps for sustaining the momentum in the future. Mr Sherpao stressed the need for tariff rationalization of electricity.
