News
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Nawaz for early completion of Neelum-Jhelum Power Project
MUZAFFARABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday directed the authorities concerned to expedite construction work on Rs 274.882 billion Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project and make it functional until 2014-15 to overcome power shortage in the country.
During his visit to the site of the project, the prime minister told reporters that the authorities concerned had sought time for the completion of the project until 2016, conditional to the availability of financial resources, but he had declined the request and instead instructed them to complete it by 2015.
He regretted that such projects were conceived in the past but were not given due attention, as there had been vested interests, but his government would have to change such culture.
He said the project could not be achieved during the last many years and now its cost had swelled to around Rs 275 billion. He expressed his astonishment over the delay in the execution of the project.
He said that 29 years had passed, but the project was yet to be completed, and that nobody questioned the gross negligence over such a delay.
Nawaz said that the power issue had become a “genie” and the people were fed up with it, but assured that his government would utilise all resources to complete the project.
“If such projects were given a priority in the past, these could have been achieved. We are fully committed to completing such projects and are dedicating each minute for giving relief to the masses,” he said.
The PM also pointed at the shortage of financial resources, and advised the authorities concerned to cut down additional expenditure.
“The wastage of national wealth through corruption and corrupt practices should be effaced forever,” he said, adding that the nation should also prepare itself for sacrifices for a greater national cause.
About energy-related problems, he said that the government was devising an energy policy, which might be finalised within a fortnight, and soon he would inform the nation about the roadmap and the steps in this regard in his upcoming address.
He said that he would also ask the nation to make contributions for achieving the benchmark of such a policy, adding that both the government and the nation could together resolve the issue, which might also enable them to generate less expensive power in the country.
To a query, he said that the issue of militancy was also being considered seriously. “The main issues are the lack of economic growth and rising poverty, which gave rise to this issue,” he maintained.
The PM said that overseas Pakistanis and foreign investors were also focussing on development taking place in Pakistan to ascertain prospects of their investment in the future.
Referring to the idea of constructing Khunjrab-Gwadar-Karachi road and rail project, he expressed his resolve that it would be materialised soon, and would prove to be a “game changer” for the country. app
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk