LAHORE - Chief Minister Usman Buzdar Friday inaugurated various projects worth billions of rupees including 2.82-megawatt hydro power project in Pakpattan.He also laid the foundation stone of different development projects. The chief minister inspected various sections of the hydro power plant besides laying the foundation stone of new grain market.
During his visit, Usman Buzdar also inaugurated the rehabilitation and expansion project of the 9.9-kilometre road from Dillowala Bridge to 46-EB and the 13.2-kilometre road from Sanday Khan Road Rampura to the district limits of Okara.
He inaugurated expansion and rehabilitation of 8.6-kilometre road project from Sahiwal-Pakpattan Road Pull Bahiwal to DM Road Pull Joriyan. An amount of around Rs 390 million would be spent on these projects.
Addressing the inaugural ceremony of Pakpattan Hydro Power Project, the chief minister said Pakistan was blessed with immense natural resources and the goal of development and progress could be achieved by rightly utilising the resources.
The PTI government has been giving priority to solar energy, hydro power and windmills projects to produce cheap and environment-friendly electricity. It would also help reduce the import bill, he added.
Usman Buzdar said that one of the largest integrated irrigation network was available in Punjab and expressed his satisfaction that 2.82-megawatt electricity was being generated through the power project having annual production capacity of 21.67-gigawatt electricity units. Revenue of Rs180 million was also expected from the project besides creating employment opportunities as well, he added.
Around 10-megawatt electricity would also be generated through Marala Hydro power and Dek Outfall projects. Both the projects would be completed soon, he added. He said that 20 per cent of the total energy production would be generated through alternate energy resources within the next few years.
Along with it, hundreds of primary schools, BHUs and more than 50 universities would also be shifted to solar power, he said. He said that University of Engineering and Technology Lahore and The Islamia University Bahawalpur have been transferred to solar energy. The chief minister announced dualising the 150-kilometre long Pakpattan-Vehari Road with an amount of Rs 22 billion.