Islamabad: The government has taken a big decision to shift citizens from fuel-consuming vehicles to electric vehicles.
Federal Minister for Energy Sardar Owais Ahmed Khan Leghari said while holding a press conference that the government is taking revolutionary steps to reduce the cost of electricity for the public and shift them to electric vehicles compared to fuel-consuming vehicles.
He said that we present to you the decisions of the federal cabinet that concern the public. This year, the circular debt has been reduced by 12 billion. Distribution companies made a loss of 240 billion last year, which we did not exceed 170 billion this year. This is a benefit of Rs 53 billion due to the non-politicization and better governance of the boards, which the nation got in the first 5 months.
The Federal Minister said that there are not charging stations for electric motorcycles everywhere in the country, to encourage this new business and provide a cheaper alternative to the citizens, the government is reducing the electricity tariff for charging stations by 45 percent. Switching to an electric motorcycle will save up to 77 percent.
He said that the permit for an electric vehicle will be obtained from the portal within 15 days, and no officer will have to be contacted in this regard. Similarly, the price of electricity is being reduced from Rs 71 to Rs 39.
Owais Ahmed Leghari said that yesterday we took a big decision. Industrialists complain that your XCN, Chief Engineer or other officials harass us in matters of increasing load or new connections and billing. We have launched a one-window operation to solve these problems, on which the Prime Minister decided in the Cabinet Committee on Energy, under which all industrial estates including Special Economic Zones will get electricity at one place, whatever billing and connection problems there may be, they will all be resolved at one place.
The Energy Minister said that this is a revolutionary step through which we have distanced ourselves from the authority and placed it in the authority industrial estate so that they can improve their business.
He said that today the Prime Minister held an important meeting, in which an important decision was taken to avoid pollution and damage caused by fuel consumption in Pakistan. The Energy Minister said that Pakistan imports fuel worth 6 billion dollars only for motorcycles and three-wheelers, to avoid which we are trying to bring electric vehicles within the reach of the people.
The Federal Minister said that the Power Division has decided to take a big step, because there are no charging stations in Pakistan, which is due to the high cost of electricity and the laws are also obstacles, on the basis of which this business can be started.
He said that today the Prime Minister has decided that we were currently paying a tariff of 71.10 paise to these charging stations, including taxes, and we are announcing a 45 percent reduction to 39.70 paise tariff so that charging electric vehicles becomes cheaper due to the lower cost of electricity received by charging stations. Shifting to electric motorcycles has resulted in 33 percent usage and 77 percent savings.
The Energy Minister said that the permit for charging stations will be available through the e-portal in 15 days and people will be able to start businesses. Through which a new business of every level will start in the country. He said that we consider it a big development at the global level which is a big step towards a good environment. This move of the government will provide a big opportunity to shift to electric vehicles instead of ordinary vehicles.
He said that such measures are actually a journey to reduce the price of electricity, which ranges from privatization of DISCOs and review of IPPs agreements to benefiting the common man. The government will take all possible steps to solve the country’s electricity problems, in which the role of SIFC is key.
He said that it is hoped that the people and every Pakistani will benefit from these measures. The journey to reduce electricity prices is ongoing and in the next few months, Pakistan will be in a position to provide the cheapest electricity in the region to the people, to the industry, to the consumers, in which it has achieved great success.
