Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said as the construction work on
Chashma Right Bank Canal was also being initiated soon, this
project would bring about a revolutionary change in this area
by irrigating thousands of acres of barren land.
He said the irrigation of lands would help generate
ample resources for the country, develop every sector of
economy, expand industrial activities, encourage the import of
industrial equipment and machinery, augment exports, enhance
the inflows of foreign exchange and check inflation.
The prime minister said inflation had already come
down as compared to previous governments.
He said with 12 to 16 hours of electricity loadshedding, there was
darkness in the country in previous years, adding, in such a scenario no one could imagine of achieving any socio-economic progress and industrial development.
Now due to the present government’s efforts not only the
duration of loadshedding had come down to three to four hours for
domestic consumers, but industries were being supplied
electricity round the clock, he added.
Moreover, the prime minister said electricity was
being provided at cheaper rates, so that growers and
industrialists could compete and have better returns of their
produce.
He said various power projects of thousands of mega
watts were being installed and completed at a fast pace under
the China Pakistan Economic Corridor, including coal and LNG based and solar and wind projects.
He said now for the first time, coal from Thar, Sindh, would be
utilized for power projects. Why it did not happen in the past, he questioned.
Similarly, Nawaz Sharif said Neelum Jhelum project
was lingering on for the last ten years, which augmented the
cost of the project many fold.
But now the work on that project was underway on a fast pace and it
would add 960 MW of electricity to the national grid by February 2018, he added.
The delay on such projects of national importance was
very unfortunate, as precious time and public money was
wasted, he remarked.