Corruption in power sector to be dealt with severely: PM

ISLAMABAD: Issuing strict orders against corrupt elements in the distribution companies (Discos), Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday expressed his government’s resolve to stop electricity theft, reduce line losses, and improve the power distribution system across the county.
Presiding over a meeting held to review the matters of the power ministry, he said new board chairpersons and members had been appointed recently in five distribution companies through a transparent process, hoping that Discos’ performance would improve after these appointments.
PM Shehbaz directed the power minister and secretary coordinate with the provinces on measures aimed at halting the electricity theft, improving the performance of Discos and other related issues.
“A whole of the government approach should be adopted to resist power theft across the country,” he said. The premier directed the provincial governments to maintain the number of police personnel and tehsildars as per the Discos’ needs.
The prime minister’s assertions came days after PML-N President Nawaz Sharif announced a Rs14 per unit reduction in the bills of those consuming 200-500 units electricity in Punjab for two months.
The prime minister ordered the authorities concerned to deal with corrupt elements in Discos with an iron hand and take strict action against them.
He directed Discos to make the kutchehri system more effective and result-oriented with respect to public complaints.
He said the steering committee formed in connection with switching of agricultural tube-wells to solar energy in Balochistan must hold its meeting immediately.
The meeting was informed that standard operating procedures regarding the transfer of agricultural tube-wells in Balochistan to solar energy had been notified to the steering committee.
It was further informed that a package was being prepared to acknowledge officers who had shown good performance.
Published in Dawn, August 19th, 2024