Tazeen Akhtar
After more than 15 years of China Pakistan Economic Corridor , finally Pakistan is design a new and separate electric supply system for Industrial Estates and Special Industrial Zones as well as SEZs. A decision was taken in the meeting of Cabinet Committee on Energy that met under the leadership of Prime Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif.
Under this system, industries will have ease of competition, industrial growth and exports will increase. A new system of power supply to Special Industrial Zones and Industrial Estates was approved in the meeting.
The Cabinet Committee on Energy today on the summary of the Power Division allowed single point power supply to Industrial Estates and Special Industrial Zones and their management to provide self-connection, bill collection and other matters.
Under this system, the interference of the officers of the electricity distribution companies in the special industrial zones and industrial estates will be abolished.
In this regard, a specific operations and management mechanism is being created. The Power Division and NEPRA will start implementing this mechanism in the next two to three months.
Under the system, the zone developer will not require any additional license to supply power to the industries in the zones.
Here it is worth mentioning that Minister Planning Ahsan Iqbal held two meetings in last two months only to finalize the tariff of electricity supplied to SEZs. He emphasized for that repeatedly and it gave rise to speculations as if the energy supply to SEZs is not a routine matter.
Another hurdle in the establishment of SEZs is the purchase of land. The rates of lands have not been fixed. Minister Planning mentioned this issue in his meetings and directed the concerned authorities to finalize the rates of electricity and lands in a manner that are feasible for the industrialists.
Special Economic or Industrial Zones are the main part of CPEC 02. It is not possible until the electricity and land is provided on reasonable prices. Today’s decision in the Cabinet Committee is expected to go a long way when the new system is formed and approved and implemented.
The decision would benefit local and international industries that can be shifted to Pakistan. Next step to be taken in the way forward is pointing out the lands for SEZs and that on proper rates. This part can be taken in the next meeting.
