Minister for Religious Affairs Syed Khursheed Shah has said that the government had initiated work on various projects to generate 20,000MW of electricity.
Addressing participants of Izhar-e-Tashakur ceremony arranged by reinstated employees of the people’s programme, he said: “The government is tackling energy crisis seriously. Work continues on various projects having a capacity to generate about 20,000MW.”
He said the government had allocated about Rs 35 billion in the current financial budget for the energy sector. Work on about 17 small, medium and large dams was in progress, he said.
The minister said the PPP-led government had added about 3,200MW to the national grid. Shah said a commission should be formed to ascertain the responsibility of the energy crisis in the country. “The commission should start investigation from 1988 to 2008 and pinpoint those responsible for the energy crisis.” Shah said the PPP always worked for the poor and the government had regularised about 4,000 contract and daily-wage employees by June 30.
The minister said about 86 doctors in various cities had also been regularized, as the PPP-government always gave employment to the deserving youngsters. “We have always been criticised by the opposition for providing jobs to youngsters and if this is a crime, we will continue such crimes in the future as well.” On the occasion, People’s Labour Bureau Incharge Chaudhry Manzoor Ahmad said the government was taking all possible steps to provide relief to the masses.
He said the government had increased salaries of the government employees by up to 135 percent, besides increasing pensions.
