Prime Minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif on Monday said the common man must be provided relief and transparency ought to be maintained at all levels of the new energy policy and its implementation.
The new policy should focus on reducing demand and supply as well as the cost of production, the PM said while chairing a meeting to review energy policy, during which he was apprised about the policy’s salient features.
He said efficiency, transparency and provision of maximum relief to the common man should be hallmarks of the new energy policy, which would be announced after completion of a consultative process with stakeholders, including all federating units.
The government’s energy team apprised the meeting that the “new energy policy would transform the red tape paradigm into a red carpet one and provide maximum facilitation to the public as well as investors.”
The prime minister directed that potential investors, both local and international, must be contacted and apprised about prospects of better return in the energy sector.
He further said maximum efficiency levels must be kept as benchmarks for the energy policy to get maximum results and expressed confidence that dedication, zero tolerance to corruption, better management and use of modern technology would yield better results.
Sharif said the country would be back on the path of progress and development as part of the government’s initiatives.
Referring to the recent memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed with Chinese company Norinco International, he hoped other international firms would follow suit.
The premier appreciated the Ministry of Water and Power for taking steps for automation of distribution system and said with minimisation of human involvement and digitalisation of electricity distribution, corruption and theft would be efficiently checked.
The meeting was further informed that in line with directives of the PM, efforts would be made to reduce cost of production to provide relief to larger segments of society.
The meeting was attended by Minister for Petroleum Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Minister for Water and Power Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Special Assistant to Prime Minister Dr Musaddiq Malik, Shaukat Fayaz Tarin, Zayad Bashir and senior officials.
Relief, transparency to be ensured in new energy policy: PM
