ISLAMABAD: The Cabi­net Committee on Energy decided on Thursday that there would be no load-shedding during Sehri and Iftar in Ramazan, and directed the power ministry to ensure uninterrupted supply of power during the holy month.

The committee expressed concern over complaints of the longer duration of load-shedding in rural areas and also asked the power division to adopt a uniform policy for load management in urban and rural areas and no discrimination should be made in this regard.

It was the last meeting Asad Umar chaired before he resigned as the finance minister.

The power division presented to the committee its internal audit report on quarterly indexation by Nepra, which found that Nepra had used high exchange rates during determination of quarterly indexation. The committee asked the power division to ascertain from the regulator whether it had judicially applied its mind while determining the exchange rates.

The regulator should also be asked to indicate the remedial measures for rectifying the mistake, for the future and to determine how the losses incurred, if any, could be made good, the committee decided.

The power division briefed the committee about its successful recovery campaign being carried out against defaulters. It said the recovery campaign had successfully achieved its objectives by collecting Rs318,264 million from November 2018 to February 2019 and arresting 4,225 defaulters.

The committee was also updated on ‘Renewable Energy Policy, 2019’ and was informed that the draft policy had been circulated among relevant quarters and it would be submitted to the cabinet in the first half of May 2019.

In its presentation to the committee, the petroleum ministry said that it needed 350,000 tonnes of furnace oil to meet energy requirements of the country for the months of May and June. The committee decided to place the matter for approval before the federal cabinet to allow the one-time import of furnace oil.

Published in Dawn, April 19th, 2019