Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday waived off the fuel adjustment charges (FAC) for power consumers who consume up to 300 units of electricity in a month.
The premier made this announcement while addressing a meeting of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) lawmakers in Islamabad.
He said the waiver is being given with the aim to facilitate the common man who is bearing the brunt of inflation, adding that the relief will cover 75 percent of electricity consumers across the country.
The PM said that initially, the exemption was given to consumers who use up to 200 units with the government having to bear an estimated burden of PKR 21 billion for offering the exemption. However, broadening the scope of the relief to those who use up to 300 units in a month will have a wider impact.
Furthermore, PM Shehbaz also proposed to waive off the electricity bills of power consumers of flood-hit areas and also suggested to exempt the farmers from water charges on crop irrigation in calamity-hit areas of the country.
He also announced the launch of a solar programme for the production of cheap electricity in the country in the near future. He said this programme will generate electricity at the rate of PKR 9 per unit which will save billions of rupees. “My economic and energy teams are making all-out efforts to materialise the mega solar project, which is aimed at benefiting schools, hospitals, agri tube-wells etc.,” he added.
