Islamabad: Federal Minister for Energy Owais Leghari says that the government is working on changing the current system of providing relief to electricity consumers, under which efforts are being made to provide relief on the basis of poverty instead of the limit of 200 units.
Speaking during the question hour in the Senate session, Energy Minister Owais Leghari said that the removal of the 200 unit limit is being considered because wealthy individuals reduce their electricity units below 200 by installing solar systems and benefit from the discount.

He said that it is necessary to determine the electricity tariff slab so that this problem can be eliminated in the future. The number of consumers using electricity up to 200 units has reached 20 million. Most of the consumers using electricity up to 200 units use solar energy.

Owais Leghari said that the government is working on a system of providing relief to electricity consumers on the basis of poverty instead of units. Work is underway on a project to provide relief to those living below the poverty line.

He told the meeting that the circular debt of the energy sector has been reduced to Rs 1670 billion and the target is to eliminate circular debt over the next four years. The debt service surcharge on circular debt will also be eliminated in the next four years.

Owais Leghari said that at the time of the formation of the government, the Ministry of Energy received Rs 1180 billion in budget support, while the budget support of the Ministry of Energy has been reduced to Rs 700 billion this year.

The Federal Minister said that the losses of the discos have been reduced every year, but the benefit of the reduction in the losses of the discos has not yet reached the consumers.