The project of the Sindh government is being headed by the Provincial Minister for Energy Development and Planning, Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, who has set the distribution of 50,000 solar home panels for the end of August. This is among the measures to create another strategy to increase utilization of other power resources in the province, bring down electricity expenses, and meet the promises made on the People’s Party platform.
Conservation of Free Electricity for the People
Another election commitment of the People’s Party was to supply free electricity up to 300 units to the people of Sindh. This was set and is demonstrated in the initial words of the chairman, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, which have been a rallying cry for social welfare and economic reprieve for the populace. This goal is now in the process of being met, and a good deal of progress has already been made on the project.
Sindh’s Minister for Works and Services, Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, said this project is of paramount importance and necessity, and the Sindh government is keen to make it through at the earliest. “Labor charges and electricity bills are very high, and people require some sort of relief that they are not getting from this budget,” he added. It has also been noted that under the direction and vision of Sindh’s Chairman Bilawal Bhutto, the Sindh government has been trying to give cheap and free electricity to the people; this project is one of the links in that chain.
Maximizing the Use of Abundant Alternative Energy Sources in Sindh
Sindh per se is very conducive for the generation of different kind of energy sources, especially solar energy. The government is not only concerned with the greatest extent of the reduction of electricity costs but also with the promotion of solar energy as a clean solution to energy problems. The Minister added that there is no dearth of energy generation potential in Sindh due to the availability of feed resources, which makes the area suitable for such projects.
The former president of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari, has also been a big supporter of the use of solar electricity. He said that it would be possible for the government to make use of these resources to give the people free and cheap electric power and lighten the burden of a hefty electricity tariff. ‘There is thus a need for the use of solar energy to provide energy for our needs without compromising on non-renewable sources of energy,’ Zardari said.
Solar Parks and Regulation Authorities
Apart from making available solar panels to households, the government of Sindh is also concentrating on the establishment of solar parks in different districts of Sindh. These above-mentioned solar parks will produce a large amount of electricity that will be fed into the National Transmission and Dispatch Company (NTDC). This move is anticipated to serve two objectives: first, to reduce the expense of electricity, and second, to provide a steady power supply to the public.
Besides, Sindh has taken a historic approach to having its own energy regulatory authorities, SEPRA (Sindh Electric Power Regulatory Authority) and STDC (Sindh Transmission and Dispatch Company). These bodies are copied from national-level bodies such as NEPRA (National Electric Power Regulatory Authority) but are made specifically for Sindh.
In this capacity, SEPRA is expected to control electricity tariffs in the province with the aim of making them reasonable for consumers. Whereas the Sindh Transmission and Distribution Corporation, or STDC, is saddled with responsibilities concerning the transmission and distribution of electricity produced in Sindh. Through these bodies, the Sindh government wants to deliver more affordable electricity tariffs to domestic customers and to the industrial sectors.
A Vision for the Future
Some of the actions taken by the Sindh government to install solar systems and provide ‘free’ electricity are clearly in line with a long-term plan for structural change in the energy system of Pakistan. This vision is not only about lightening the economic load on the population and using energy-efficient sources of power. The setup of solar parks, the distribution of solar panels, and the formation of bodies bear testimony to the desire to make Sindh less dependent on external energy sources and more focused on developing a sustainable infrastructure.
As it progresses, the Sindh government is always concerned with the acceleration of the project to the maximum extent possible. The Energy Minister has sought to assure the people that all the necessary measures are being put in place to ensure the delivery of the solar panels and the success of the whole project. ‘We are working day and night to complete this project,’ said Shah. “The people of Sindh have a right to get electricity, first of all reliable and second of all economical, and we intend to provide it.
Conclusion: In this context, a new dawn of energy in Sindh is imminent.
Therefore, the Sindh government’s effort to give out 50,000 solar panels and electricity for up to 300 units without charge is revolutionary in the sector of energy and for the fiscal problem that the people of Sindh face. With the development of Sindh’s alternative energy resources and the formation of competent regulatory authorities, Pakistan’s government is showing the way towards a new horizon. To a large extent, this project achieves not only one of the most important promises of the recent election but also acts as a clear example for other provinces of Pakistan to strive to become energy independent and sustainable.
