Reacting to the proposal to impose tax on solar panels, Sindh Power Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah on Saturday rejected the proposal saying that some elements are suggesting the federal government to impose tax on solar panels.
“Electricity in the country is not only very expensive but also unaffordable for many areas,” the minister said in a statement.
He said people were already burdened with high prices, especially electricity bills, which were causing serious hardship. Loadshedding, especially in Sindh, has put people in extreme hardship across the country, he noted.
Shah said that under such circumstances, if people were to light their homes by installing solar panels, they should be encouraged. If a tax were imposed on solar panels, poor people would be further burdened by further inflation, he warned. Shah asked the prime minister not to impose tax on solar panels and also asked the federal government to provide small and big packages to the public to buy solar panels.
He further said that the Sindh government wants to set up a solar park in the province to generate cheap electricity to control the electricity crisis.
He said they want the federal government to not only reduce electricity prices in extreme heat but also provide packages to buy solar panels.
Thar coal
A total of 1,320 megawatts (MW) of electricity will be added to the national grid after the completion of the first phase of the Thar Coal Block One project, the Sindh Power Minister said on Saturday while meeting a delegation from the Shanghai power.
He said that the Thar Coal Block One power generation project will play an important role in solving the country's energy related problems.
The meeting was attended by Shanghai Power Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Meng Donghai, Sindh Power Minister Kazim Jatoi and others.
The Minister of Energy assured the delegation of immediate removal of all obstacles in the project and full cooperation.
He said that the Sindh government would provide all possible cooperation regarding the project so that it could be completed at the earliest.
The Minister of Energy directed the delegation to take special care of the local people in the project and provide them with all possible facilities. He added that the Thar Coal project was very important for the entire country.
Shah said that according to the vision of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the Sindh government is focusing on public welfare projects.