ISLAMABAD: The Senate on Monday adopted a resolution recommending the federal government to earmark Rs 8 billion in the 2016-17 budget for conversation of tube wells installed in Balochistan for agriculture purposes to solar energy.
Speaking on his resolution Mir Kabeer Ahmed Muhammad Shahi said the conversion of tube wells on solar energy would save billions of rupees annually and 650 megawatt electricity.
He said the federal and provincial governments were currently giving Rs 22 billion subsidy annually to run 32000 tube wells on electricity in Balochistan. Around 25 per cent tube wells could be converted on solar energy at the cost of Rs 8 billion, he added.
Azam Sawati said the government should release funds to improve agriculture system and save billions of rupees every year in Balochistan.
Mian Attique said solar system was being used in several countries to save energy and this technology should be introduced to run tube wells in Balochistan.
Mohsan Leghari opposed the proposal saying that groundwater table in Balochistan had decreased to 1000 feet which was alarming.
He, however, said a complete package should be introduced to convert the tube wells on solar system and the facility should be provided to the farmers with the undertaking that they would avoid wastage of water.
Usman Kakar said the province had faced loss of Rs 150 billion due to a decade-long drought and release of funds for conversion of tube wells to solar system was necessary for promoting the agriculture sector.
Abdul Ghafoor Haideri said the conversion of tub wells to solar system was a permanent solution to resolve the energy crisis in Balochistan’s agricultural sector. It would save billions of rupees annually being spent on subsidy.
Sardar Mosakhail, Tahir Hussain Mashhadi and Hazif Hamdullah also supported the resolution and said that majority of the people in Balochistan depended on agriculture and live stocks and conversion of tube wells into solar system would promote agriculture.
