Mr Qamar said that he had issued instructions to chief executive officers of power companies to ensure 100 per cent recovery of bills. — File Photo

HYDERABAD: Minister for Water and Power Syed Naveed Qamar has rejected reports that power tariff is being increased by six per cent, saying there is a proposal to raise it by only two per cent which is necessary.

He said that if electricity tariff was not raised, the government would have to provide subsidy, which would be a burden on the exchequer.

Speaking at a reception hosted by the Hyderabad Press Club on Saturday, he said in future no oil-based power plant would be installed and efforts would be made to increase power production through water and coal.

He said the department had been given strict instructions to ensure 100 per cent recovery of bills and not to spare anyone in this regard.

The minister said that unfortunately 100 per cent recovery of bills was not being made. He, however, claimed the present government had made improvement in this regard.

Mr Qamar said that he had issued instructions to chief executive officers of power companies to ensure 100 per cent recovery of bills.

He made it clear that laxity in the recovery of bills would not be tolerated and nobody would be spared.

At present 14,000 megawatt of electricity was being produced and efforts were being made to produce electricity through water and coal and give up the use of furnace oil, the power minister said.

He said that 3,000MW electricity had been added to the system by the government of the Pakistan People’s Party and 1,200MW had been added during his tenure as water and power minister.

He said that work was under way on 12 new projects, claiming that the schemes would help overcome the power crisis.

He said that it was not possible to end loadshedding immediately because there was a wide gap between demand and supply.

He said that the shortage of gas was also affecting electricity production.

He said that the work on the Neelum-Jhelum power project was going on at a hectic pace and it would be completed very soon.

In reply to a question about KESC, the minister said the on-going dispute between the administration and the labour union was expected to be resolved soon, after which the power crisis in Karachi would come to an end.

Mr Qamar was conferred life membership of the press club for his contribution in getting funds released for journalists’ colony in Hyderabad.