ISLAMABAD
\nFormer President of the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), Dr. Shahid Rasheed Butt, said on Sunday that it is a worthy endeavour to provide relief to energy consumers in the province of Punjab.
\nHe said the provincial government\u2019s announcement to give consumers a relief of 14 rupees per unit on electricity bills is a laudable move. Shahid Rasheed Butt said that other provinces should also follow Punjab and give relief to the people. Provinces can manage resources using surplus funds or cutting assembly members\u2019 development budgets.
\nThe business leader said in a statement today that provinces can also cut expenditures in various sectors, reduce development funds, and divert the money for the badly needed relief program as almost half of the developmental funds are wasted. Electricity bills have troubled people across the country.
\nThe bills have increased house rents, and most of the country\u2019s population has been unable to pay them and the increased tariffs is bankrupting the masses and the businesses. Since power bills are bankrupting businesses, it is also contributing to unemployment, reduced taxes, sluggish production and overall economic downturn, he observed.
\nHe said that in these disappointing circumstances, the historic electricity relief package for Punjab by the leader of Muslim League (N) Nawaz Sharif is certainly a people-friendly initiative. According to this initiative, those using 500 units per month will get a relief of Rs 14 per unit, provided in August and September bills.
\nUp to 500 units, the introductory tariff rate is Rs 37 to Rs 38 per unit. After Rs 14 relief, it will be Rs 24, he informed. In this regard, PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz said in a press conference that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif should also reduce electricity prices.
\nAppreciating the relief package, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif has said that work is being done to find a lasting solution to the reduction in electricity prices.
\nShahid Rashid Butt said that heavy electricity bills, indirect taxes, and IPPs agreements have made life difficult for people. Currently, 49 billion dollars are paid to IPPs that run only 85 hours. Employees of electricity companies are given free electricity worth 15 billion rupees annually.
\nThe government of Punjab has decided to continue the relief and provide the people with cheap electricity through solar panels worth seven hundred billion rupees. According to Shahid Rashid Butt, the government must take into consideration the plans that the electricity bureaucracy is attempting to carry out against the solar industry.
\nIn countries that have civilized societies, the government provides three to four times the benefit to people who generate surplus electricity through solar power. However, in this country, one unit is returned to the consumer for three units, which can be called daylight robbery.
\nThere is not a single place in Pakistan where the authorities of the energy company do not permit the installation of solar panels without first accepting a bribe and the Islamabad Electric Supply Corporation is at the forefront of this bribery, making life difficult for the people, he informed.
\nHe said that it is common knowledge that a solar company must first bribe the DISCO officials to get their projects approved in order to operate in the market. Top officials are aware of this, but they have chosen to remain silent and promote this practice. \u2014 DNA<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ISLAMABAD Former President of the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), Dr. Shahid Rasheed Butt, said on Sunday that it is a worthy endeavour to provide relief to energy consumers in the province of Punjab. He said the provincial government\u2019s announcement to give consumers a relief of 14 rupees per unit on electricity bills […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-425721","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-business"},"yoast_head":"\n