ISLAMABAD, Oct 18: The Senate Standing Committee on Petroleum and Natural Resources has directed the Ministry of Petroleum to prepare an alternative energy plan and ensure effective use of available resources.

Presided over by Senator Syed Dilawar Abbas, the committee, in a meeting held at the Parliament House on Monday, also called upon the government to gear up its efforts to optimize use of natural resources and look for mechanized production of minerals.

Members of the committee also lauded the government's decision to cap development surcharge on petroleum.

The committee, however, suggested giving some relief to the consumers in sales tax on petroleum products. About disparity in the increase in the prices of petrol, kerosene and diesel, the committee was informed that the prices were adjusted in accordance with the fluctuation in the international market rates.

The standing committee was also given a detailed briefing on the working of Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation (PMDC) by the corporation's managing director, Brig M Khalid Sajjad Khokhar.

The committee was informed that three PMDC coal mines were located at Degari, Sor Range and Sharigh in Balochistan, and the fourth one was at Lakhra, Sindh, whereas, its salts mines were located at Kalabagh Khewra and Warcha in Punjab, and Jatta and Bahadur Khel in the NWFP.

The committee was also informed that the production and sale of coal and salt were gradually increasing and that the current year's target were 431,000 tonnes and 751,000 tonnes for coal and salt, respectively.

The PMDC had completed 26 mineral exploration and development projects in all the provinces, Northern Areas and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and many of those projects were being successfully operated by the provincial public sector organizations and the private sector.

It was also observed that a tourist resort development project was launched in February, 2002 for converting Khewra salts mines into a tourist resort of international standard. And, a result of the development activities carried out by the PMDC, the flow of tourists had increased to over 125,000 per year.

The members were pleased to learn that the corporation was setting up an Asthma clinic at Khewra.

The standing committee also called upon the corporation to look for more opportunities regarding development of mines.

Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Amanullah Khan Jadoon, who was also present on the occasion, told the committee that the government was laying emphasis on the development of mineral resources. Gold and other precious metals, he said, existed in Northern Areas, and efforts were being made to find out ways to make the gold exploration project viable in the area.

Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Resources Mir Mohammad Naseer Mengal, senators Bibi Yasmeen Shah, Rukhsana Zuberi, Saeed Ahmed Hashmi, Prof Khurshid Ahmad, and senior officials of the petroleum ministry and the PMDC also attended the meeting.