KARACHI- The government, after due consultations and threadbare discussion with all stakeholders ranging from the gas and oil companies to power generating utilities, has succeeded in chalking out a plan aimed at eliminating loadshedding in Karachi by December next. This announcement was made at a join media briefing conducted by Federal Minister for Water and Power Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Federal Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira and Federal Minister for Privatisation Naveed Qamar at the Governor House on Wednesday. Pervaiz Ashraf announced that Pakistan State Oil (PSO) had been advised to provide non-stop supply of oil on 90 days credit to all the power generating units, and the Sui Southern Gas Pipelines Limited (SSGPL) will also be giving uninterrupted supply of 276 mmcft gas, which would help to generate 100 to 150 Megawatt additional electricity in the system. Moreover, Wapda will continue to supply 650 megawatt of power to KESC despite the prevailing crisis in the country, he added. The five-member Cabinet Committee on Energy Crisis comprising of the above mentioned ministers besides Federal Labour Minister Syed Khursheed Shah and Federal Minister for Overseas Dr Farooq Sattar met at the Governor House and discussed in the power crisis faced by Karachi, the economic and commercial hub of the country. Sindh Governor Dr Ishrat-ul-Ebad Khan and Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah also attended the meeting. The cabinet committee, which summoned the KESC administration, identified three major areas - generation, transmission and distribution - to improve the performance of the power utility. It was decided that committee would meet again on coming Wednesday. Meanwhile, it has summoned the owners of KESC to brief them about the financial management of the company. Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira said all these measures would help KESC generate 1750 megawatt non-stop electricity, while Raja Pervaiz Ashraf directed the Pepco to continue to supply of 650 megawatt power to KESC. Kaira said the CEOs of two IPPs were present in the Governor House to sign an agreement with KESC that will add 80-megawatt power in the system of utility in August. He said due to this addition, people of Karachi would also get 3 MGD more water. He said 60 years old worn-out distribution network of KESC needed revamping with a view to reducing line losses. As a role model, the utility has been given the task to completely overhaul the distribution and transmission in three towns-Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Gulberg and Shah Faisal town by the end of August. Sindh government will provide full assistance to achieve the target in these three model towns. The meeting has also decided to eliminate power theft and 'kunda system, for which police force will assist the utility in rooting out this menace. Electricity theft will not be tolerated and a handful of people would not be allowed to hold hostage the entire city, Kaira warned and appealed to the citizen to identify power thieves. He announced that free meters would be provided to those using illegal power so that they could regularise their power connections. Raja Pervaiz Ashraf said the present government inherited the power crisis, and that it was striving to control it. Responding to a query, he said the country was facing shortfall of 3000 to 3500 megawatt .To fill this gap, the government has taken a number of steps on war footing and was able to get 1750 megawatt from its own system while the remaining would be arranged through rental power plants, which would start functioning by December next adding more power in the main system. Commenting on recent criticism vis-a-vis installing rental power plants, he said government had followed the due process to ensure that all its rights were properly served while signing the MoUs with the private parties. He said it was not true the government was buying power on higher rates. Responding to a question about subsidy on power, Raja said generation cost of one unit of power had come to Rs 8.37 but it was being supplied to the consumers at the rate of Rs 5.37, thus the difference subsidised by the government. The government was paving an annual Rs140 billion power subsidy to the people, he said. The government has taken pragmatic steps for elimination of electricity shortfall and had planned 15 to 20 power projects to cater to the present and future needs of the country and was not relying on rhetoric. Replying to a question about complaint centres, Kaira said the strength of the operators on complaint cells has been increased from 15 to 90.The Sindh Governor and Chief Minister will monitor these centres, he added.