ISLAMABAD: Minister for Water and Power Khawaja Muhammad Asif informed the National Assembly on Friday that consumers utilising less than 300 units of electricity were already being given `heavy’ subsidy.

In reply to a calling-attention notice raised by PPP’s Shazia Marri and others accusing the government of having failed to pass on the benefit of recent reduction in the prices of electricity to people, the minister said that Rs4.11 per unit were being charged for consuming 50-100 units, Rs5.89 for 100 to 200 units and Rs8 for 200-300 units. Subsidy was already being provided to the consumers who were consuming 300 units besides passing on the benefit of fuel price cut at the international level.

The minister said the government had saved Rs252 billion due to adjustment in oil prices, adding that the recovery of arrears had improved from 88 per cent to 93pc.

He said the government wanted to transfer maximum benefits to the under-privileged segments of society.

Published in Dawn, January 16th, 2016