Islamabad: The federal government has reserved PKR 272.5 billion for new and upcoming projects in water and power sector for the year 2018-2019, according to a news report. Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi chaired a meeting at the National Economic Council where Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) 2018-2019 was proposed and approved.
Details on this reveal that the government has focused more on the water sector as compared to last fiscal year. This has come after a realisation of the country’s water-stressed status. The government is expecting that out of a total PKR 272 billion reserved for water and power, PKR 47.13 billion will be given in terms of foreign assistance. This year’s share of power division has been made at PKR 72.304 billion, which is a reduction of PKR 305 billion from last year. A major chunk of PKR 27.5 billion has been reserved for the installation of two coal-fired power projects in Jamshoro.
In the water sector, Dasu hydropower project stage-I has been allocated PKR 76.2 billion, Neelum-Jhelum PKR 32.51 billion, Tarbela fourth extension hydropower PKR 13.89 billion, Mangla power station’s upgradation PKR 4.98 billion, Golan Goal hydropower project PKR 2.73 billion and Tarbela fifth extension PKR 2.283 billion. The ongoing Diamer Bhasa Dam Project has been allocated PKR 23.68 billion, Mangla Dam raising PKR 2.5 billion, whereas various allocations have also been made under Kachi Canal project in Sindh and Jhal Magsi.
