QUETTA: The Baloch­is­tan government has decided to switch tube-wells instal­led in the fields in the province to the solar system.

A meeting, presided over by Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan Alyani, was informed on Thursday that there are around 29,000 agriculture tube-wells running on electricity across the province. It was decided that the geo-testing mechanism will be adopted for the verification of tube-wells.

Parliamentary secretaries and administrative secretaries of respective departments also attended the meeting.

The meeting also discussed the matters related to the appointment of chairman of Provincial Zakat Council and distribution of Zakat. It decided to start distribution of Zakat among the deserving people with immediate effect after appointing the chairman of the Zakat Council.

The meeting reviewed the performance of power, environment, mines, forestry, women empowerment and religious affairs departments, the Quetta Develop­ment Authority and Baloch­istan Development Authority.

Administrative heads briefed the meeting about their respective departments.

The meeting decided to empower the Balochistan Development Authority and other semi-government institutions.

The chief minister direc­ted all the parliamentary and departmental secretaries to finalise the development programme for the next financial year.

Published in Dawn, May 10th, 2019