QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti has urged the federal government to speed up the process of shifting agriculture tube wells in the province to solar power.

According to officials, Mr Bugti held a virtual meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday and discussed the issue of shifting over 29,000 registered agriculture tube wells to solar energy.

He said growers of Balochistan were facing serious problems due to prolonged power outages as they were unable to water their crops.

Mr Bugti informed the prime minister that his government had allocated Rs 10 billion in the PSDP for the fiscal year 2024-25 to convert 3,000 tube wells to solar power.

“The provincial government has also extended financial support to the agriculture sector by providing subsidies worth billions of rupees during the last couple of years.”

While stressing the swift implementation of the project, he added that the conversion of tube wells would save billions of rupees annually.

He also apprised the PM of problems being faced by the growers due to the delay in the project’s implementation, which is also resulting in significant losses for the agri-based industry.

Mr Bugti urged the federal government to complete the project as soon as possible.

Officials said PM Shehbaz has directed the Power Division secretary to complete the procedure as soon as possible.

Published in Dawn, July 3rd, 2024