The Gilgit-Baltistan Council has taken a significant step to address the ongoing power crisis in the region by allocating Rs 17 crore. The Chairman of the Standing Committee, Muhammad Ayub Shah, along with Council Member Abdul Rehman and Joint Secretary Sudhir Khan Khattak, handed over the cheque to Secretary Finance Gilgit-Baltistan, Aziz Ahmed Jamali, at the Gilgit-Baltistan Council Secretariat in Islamabad.
The funds, drawn from the Council’s Consolidated Fund, will be utilized to provide electricity through diesel generators to mitigate the effects of load-shedding. Chairman Ayub Shah emphasized that the government is also working on long-term solutions, including a 16-megawatt hydropower project aimed at meeting the energy needs of Gilgit city and its surrounding areas.
Additionally, a 100-megawatt solar energy project is underway, which will supply 40 megawatts to Gilgit and 20 megawatts each to Skardu, Chilas, and Ghanche. Chairman Ayub Shah also highlighted recent meetings with the Secretary of Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan Affairs, urging the swift implementation and completion of projects under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) to permanently resolve the region’s power issues.
This initiative reflects the government’s commitment to addressing the energy crisis and ensuring a sustainable power supply for the people of Gilgit-Baltistan.
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