Rs747 m approved for
gasifying villages near gas fields

Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet has approved Rs747.539 million Technical Supplementary Grant (TSG) for undertaking the supply of gas to 85 villages/localities in the current fiscal year.
Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin presided over the moot called on a proposal of the Ministry of Energy.
The effort is aimed at supplying gas to localities and villages located within a radius of 5 kilometers of gas-producing fields.
The committee accorded approval of TSG in favor of the Petroleum Division for further releasing of funds to the SSGCL to undertake gas supply in localities during the ongoing fiscal year.
In 2020, ECC had approved a Supplementary Grant of Rs1 billion in favor of the SSGCL to undertake the Phase-I of the project during the financial year 2020-21.
The Finance Division had released Rs515.255 million to the SSGCL which undertook gasification of 75 villages during the fiscal year 2021.
The committee was informed of the requirement of Rs747 539 million for SSGCL during the current fiscal year.
The Petroleum Division had been advised to approach Cabinet Division to seek funds from the portfolio of the Sustainable Development Goals Achievement Program (SAP).
Sindh High Court (SHC) had again taken up the case of gasification of villages and localities within the radius of 5km of gas fields in Sindh province.
The court had also asked Secretary Petroleum and Secretary Finance for appearing physically in the court as they had failed to respond to the show-cause notices serving upon them in 2020.
The ECC was informed about the directives of the Supreme Court of 2013 as well as the CCI decision of 2017. — ERMD