ISLAMABAD, July 2: The government on Wednesday approved a plan under which Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) would reduce its line losses from 25.7 per cent to 20 per cent over a period of five years.
The plan was approved at a meeting presided over by Federal Minister for Water and Power Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao.
Wapda Chairman Zulfiqar Ali Khan gave an undertaking to reduce line losses by 1.5 per cent every year to achieve the target.
The minister directed for complete reports on all water and power sector projects that were being carried out by Wapda during the current fiscal year.
The meeting was told that allocations in the current financial year in the PSDP for water and power sector were 45 per cent of total outlay of PSDP 2003-4.
Mr Sherpao said the allocated amount was substantial and should boost country’s economy if implemented with commitment and transparency.
Member Power of Wapda Asghar Ali Randhawa gave presentation on power sector projects. He informed the meeting that Rs30.15 billion would be spent in the sector in the year 2003-4. It included Rs12.63 as foreign component. Rs1 billion had been allocated for rural electrification.
The Wapda chairman informed the meeting that 574,759 new electricity connections were provided during the year 2002-3 including 6,168 tubewell connections.
Member Water Ahmad Khan Bhatti gave briefing on the water sector projects. Rs800 million would be spent during the current fiscal on the Rs12.8 billion Gomal Zam Dam project in NWFP, PC-I for which was approved in 2001.
Rs800 million had been allocated for Mirani Dam that would store 0.302 maf water and was due for completion by mid 2006.
Similarly, Rs1 billion had been allocated for Thal canal project, total length of the canal network is 2,212 km.
Rs3 billion was allocated for Mangla Dam raising which after completion would provide 130 MW additional power and provide additional storage of 2.9 maf.
Similarly, Rs1 billion for Kachhi canal project and Rs300 million for Rainee canal project had been allocated in the current PSDP which would bring 713,000 and 412,400 acres of land under irrigation, respectively.
Allai Khawar Hydropower Project, which would have the capacity to generate 121 MW of power had been given Rs900 million while Rs800 million would be spent on Khan Khawar during the current fiscal, which would generate 72 MW when completed by 2007.
Regarding the telemetry system, which had already been completed at a cost of Rs450 million, the minister directed Water and Power Secretary Saeedullah Jan to arrange a meeting with the Indus River System Authority (Irsa) to take over the system.
Irsa had been resisting to take over the project on the ground that it did not get required funds to hire technical staff for the telemetry system. Currently, Wapda operates the project.