MULTAN - Provincial Minister for Energy, Dr Akhtar Malik, inaugurated Solar Power Project at Children Hospital here on Saturday as Rs17 million would be saved per annum in electricity bill.

The solar power project will save 630,000 electricity units annually which is up to 25 percent of utility bill through 450 KW solar power project.

Speaking on this occasion, provincial minister said that the government resources would be saved and used in health, education and other sectors.

“We will overcome the energy crisis by promoting the use of solar energy.”

Dr Akhtar Malik said that government schools, hospitals and offices were being shifted on solar energy to reduce the burden of expensive electricity.

The Multan and Mianwali would be introduced as model solar cities and the street lights in these cities will be converted to solar energy, minister said.

Says project will save 630,000 electricity units annually

He further informed that 11,000 schools across the province have been shifted to solar energy while 4,500 more schools will be shifted to solar energy by the end of this year.

The minister also announced the installation of solar project at Press Club and Directorate General Public Relations (DGPR) office Multan.

Secretary Housing reviews Vehari’s development schemes

Newly appointed Secretary Housing and Urban Development Javed Akhtar Mahmood reviewed district Vehari’s development schemes worth Rs358 million after paying maiden visit here on Saturday.

As part of his visit being started in different places of the Southern belt after assuming charge yesterday, he directed authorities concerned to complete all of the schemes timely and without any interval.

Expressing zero-tolerance over standard and quality of projects, the secretary said provision of clean drinking water to masses stood his top priority. 

He vowed to complete all running projects in the region at earliest. He said he would soon go to all districts and tehsils situated in the southern region to witness standard and pace of the projects to ensure them that it were carried out smoothly and transparently.

Commissioner concerned over slow pace of work of uplift schemes

Commissioner Multan Dr Irshad Ahmed expressed annoyance of delay in completion of different uplift schemes despite availability of funds and issued ultimatum instructing them to complete the schemes as early as possible.

He was chairing a meeting on Saturday, which was attended by Deputy Commissioners of Vehari, Multan, Khanewal, Lodhran and many other officers from different departments. Dr Irshad stated that Punjab government was strictly monitoring the development schemes. 

In case of lapse of funds, the officials concerned will have to face action, warned Commissioner. Earlier, the deputy commissioners briefed pace of work on different projects in their respective districts. Overall, the work on 565 schemes of roads and building was in progress. Similarly, working on new projects is also being initiated. The work on 23 schemes in Khanewal, 29 in Vehari, and 10 in Lodhran is in progress, the officials hinted. However, work on 47 road schemes in Multan is in progress which will be completed by December.