HYDERABAD: Planning Development and Special Initiatives Minister, Asad Umar has said that all-out efforts were being made to overcome the issue of gas shortage in the country.
This he said while addressing the representatives of chambers of commerce and SITE associations of Nooriabad, Kotri, Jamshoro and Hyderabad at a reception hosted by Ali Junejo in his honor at Hyderabad Gymkhana on Saturday.
Asad Umar said, “Gas consumption is much higher at around 6 billion cubic feet compared to present production, which is less than 4bcf.”
Currently, priority was being given to domestic consumers while all-out efforts were in progress to improve gas availability so that the same could also be provided to industrial and commercial sectors of the country, he added.
Besides, the government was also making efforts to rationalize the gas prices so that liquefied natural gas (LNG) could also be made available for consumption, the minister said.
The minister noted, “It could be possible only after the completion of required infrastructure, including the laying of the pipeline while PTI government is making all-out efforts to clear bottlenecks in this regard.”
Commenting on complaints about the non-availability of electricity, he said, “Surplus electricity is available in the country and efforts are underway to bring reforms in the energy sector, particularly in the distribution system of DISCOs, so that the issue could be resolved at the earliest.”
The minister informed that the government would soon announce a special package for industries. Remarkable progress had also been made for the production of electricity from alternate sources, particularly wind, and the industrialists of the province could take advantage of this source, he said.
Asad Umar said that PM Imran Khan was keen to develop the construction industry, which provides job opportunities to the people in around 40 sectors.
A comprehensive package with maximum incentives for the construction industry was under consideration to achieve goals of rapid progress and prosperity, he added.
The minister said that after coronavirus, the provinces had realized the fact of forming effective combined strategies and better coordination to make health facilities available for the people.
The federal government has earmarked an amount of around Rs50 billion to introduce modern health facilities in order to meet the challenges of the diseases and pandemic like Covid-19, he informed.
The federal government was also in touch with the Sindh government and if the provincial government recommended, state-of-the-art health facilities would also be provided to Hyderabad, he said.
