MUZAFFARRABAD, May 9: AJK Prime Minister Sardar Sikandar Hayyat Khan has said that Planning Commission of Pakistan has assured the AJK government to provide more than Rs 54 billion development budget in the next five years. He said we are thankful to the federal government for its generous grant and financial assistance to AJK due to which we could make progress in education, health, human resources and other important sectors.

Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the solar energy project held under the auspices of AJK Small Industries Corporation on Saturday, he was of the opinion that AJK area was rich of natural resources, which needed appropriate exploitation.

About the use of solar energy, he said, we can utilize this potential for our electricity generation and reduce our expenditure on this important sector.

He said with the promotion of solar energy in the area this will help provide employment to the local people, reduce utility bills and improve environment and will cause to secure the forests in the area, he added.

Speaking on the AJK Minister for Small Industries Raja Mohammad Yasin said that the solar energy is a continuous deposit of the nature with an infinite limit saying, the AJK government has made a comprehensive planning to use this natural gift.

Raja Yasin said that some 10 experts of the field are actively engaged in the preparation of solar energy equipment, adding eight more experts have received training in this field from the EME college.—APP