PESHAWAR, Sept 5: The operational and maintenance budget of the Peshawar Electricity Supply Company (Pesco) for the fiscal year 2007-08 carrying an outlay of Rs8 billion was approved here on Wednesday.

The company’s board of directors sanctioned the budget at its 40th meeting held with Jamshed Savul in the chair.

The board also approved 15 per cent increase in the pay and pension of its employees besides upgrading pay scales in accordance with an announcement of the federal government.

The Pesco staff was directed to improve their performance.

The meeting, attended by Pesco chief executive Brig Sakhi Marjan among other officials, was informed that last year the company recovered 3.1 per cent more dues than what it collected in 2005-06.

The board told the officials concerned to make all out efforts to minimise the load management in the province, especially in the month of Ramazan.