KARACHI: The Sindh government has taken up the matter of prolonged power outages even in the sacred month of Ramzan by K-Electric with Federal Government, said Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah. Presenting the budget in the House on Monday, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, who also holds the portfolio of Finance Minister, said unfortunately, K-Electric has disappointed us all. “People of Karachi had to brave power outages even in this sacred month of Ramzan. ‘We have taken up this issue with the management of K-Electric and with Federal Government”. He said the absence of efficient energy supply will have disastrous consequences for any economy, agrarian, trade and technological alike. It is a matter of concern that Federal Government has failed to adequately address the energy crisis. On the other hand, energy remains on top of development agenda for the dynamic leadership of Pakistan Peoples Party, the CM added. 100 MW Sindh Nooriabad Power Company has been established through Public Private Partnership, as Sidh were able to secure 20 Million Standard Cubic Feet (MMSCF) gas per day for Sindh Nooriabad Power Company Ltd. Now the plant is fully functional and contributing to mitigate power shortages of Karachi. Sindh Transmission & Dispatch Company has been established. This is the 1st ever transmission line established by any provincial government. 132 KV Double Circuit from Nooriabad to Karachi has been successfully laid at a cost of Rs 1.95 billion to supply 100 MW to K-Electric. As per agreement with HESCO and SEPCO outstanding liabilities amounting to Rs 27.4 billion have been cleared. “For the next financial year we have kept a provision of Rs 15 billion for clearance of electricity dues of K-Electric, HESCO and SEPCO”, said CM. The CM informed that outstanding liabilities of K- Electric of Rs 13 billion have been cleared with intention to mitigate load-shedding and enhance production capacity. Thar coal project at Block-II of Thar Coalfield is on schedule and the Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company (SECMC) has removed 35% over burden from the coal mine. The company is now working to expand the coal mine to 22 MTPA and generate 2600 MW by the year 2021. For next year, Sindh government’s targets for alternate energy are: Electrification of 285 Primary Health Facilities situated at Tharparkar, Shaheed Benzairabad, Umerkot, Sanghar, Kashmore and Kambar districts through 352 Solar Photovoltaic schemes at a cost of Rs 454 million, provision of 213 domestic biogas plants to potential users at Mirpurkhas, Badin, Sanghar and rural areas of Karachi division. Rs 13 billion World Bank Funded ‘Sindh Renewable Energy Development Project’ will be rolled out during next financial year. The share of Government of Sindh in the project is Rs 2.6 billion. Through the project programs of Off-Grid Village Electrification, Urban Rooftop PV and Solar PV Demonstration power Plant will be established. Rs 500 million will be provided for this project during next financial year.