ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Water and Power, Syed Naveed Qamar has said that the government is making all out efforts to generate cheaper electricity by developing indigenous energy resources, especially renewable in the country.

He said this while presiding over 23rd Alternative Energy Development Board (AEDB) meeting held here on Monday, said a press release.

He said that renewable energy would not only help shorten the demand and supply gap but also help in having a sustainable energy resource base in the country.

He said that the federal government would continue to help provinces in development of renewable energy resources related to their areas.

The minister directed AEDB to take up the resource assessment surveys in light of the prime minister's recent directives all over Pakistan, especially in the far flung areas of the country, where off-grid energy supply system could be established.

This would provide immediate help meet the energy needs of the rural population while also saving expenditure incurred on transmission lines, he added.

The Board approved a project for wind energy assessment in Balochistan.

The Minister said the fast track wind power projects in Sindh would be fully facilitated for their timely completion.

He expressed satisfaction on the allotment of land to some wind power projects and said that the Sindh government would facilitate other fast track wind power projects to get the land at the earliest.

He said that due to new policy investors are lining up, and has requested for allotment of land for wind power projects.

The minister directed AEDB to prepare plans for electrification in the off gird areas through solar and biomass and present the plans in the next board meeting.

The board accepted a suggestion of the Punjab government to develop a national plan for inducting solar energy in the country and the board entrusted AEDB to formulate the plan and submit in the next meeting.

The board also approved implementation documents relating to wind power projects being established in Sharo Keti Bandar wind Corridor, Thatta, Sindh.